,J.HOUfjTENE;Y^J£PHS0H 

ONE  OF^TAKLEY'3  OFFICERS 


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PRINCETON,  N.  J. 

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EMIX  PASHA 

AND  THE 

REBELLION  AT  THE  EQUATOR 


A  STOR  V  OF  NINE  MONTHS'  EXPERIENCES  IN  THE 
LAST  OF  THE  SOUDAN  PROVINCES 

BY 

A.  J.  MOUNTENEY-JEPHSON 


WITH  THE  REVISION  AND  CO-OPERATIOM  OP 

HENRY  M.  STANLEY,  D.C.L.,  &c.,  &c. 


WITH  MAP  AND  NUMEROUS  ILLUSTRATIONS 


NEW  YORK 
CHAELES  SCRIBXER'S  SONS 
1891 

\_All  rights  reserved'^ 


Copyright,  18fl0.  by 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


Press  of  J.  J.  Little  &  Co., 
Astor  Place,  New  York. 


Ubis  Boof?  ts  2)eMcateC>  to 

HELENA, 
COUNTESS  DE  NOAILLES, 

WHO  HAS  EVEK  BEEN  MY  KIND  FRIEND, 


AND 


BY  WHOSE  WISH  1  JOINED  THE  EXPEDITION  FOR  THE  BELIEF  OF 


EMIN  PASHA. 


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PREFATORY  LETTER 


BT 

HENEY  M.  STANLEY. 


London,  August,  1890. 

My  dear  Jephsox, — 

My  marriage,  and  my  illness  are  two 
causes,  either  one  of  which  had  they  occurred 
separately  would  have  sufficiently  explained  the  delay 
which  has  rendered  me  unable  until  now  to  make 
any  kind  of  effort  to  comply  with  the  wishes  of 
yourself  and  of  my  English  and  American  publishers, 
that  I  should  introduce  your  book  to  your  readers 
on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic.  But,  really,  your  book 
needs  no  introduction  from  me  :  those  who  have  read 
"  In  Darkest  Africa "  know  well  the  estimation  in 
which  I  hold  you. 

From  my  own  personal  point  of  view,  I  can  say 
with  all  sincerity  that  I  am  well  pleased  to  know 
that  you  have  actually  written  this  book.  I  was  of 
course  well  aware  that  you  lost  no  opportunity  dur- 
ing our  wanderings  through  the  Dark  Continent  of 
making  notes  of  all  you  saw  and  all  you  did ;  but 
to  convert  these  rough  notes  into  an  intelligent  and 
co-nsecutive  narrative  required  much  thought  and 
much  labour. 

I  confess  I  had  pictured  you,  on  your  return  to 
civilized  society  from  the  pangs  of  starvation,  the 
troubles  of  camps,  and  the  weary  wanderings  in  that 


VI 


Prefatory  Letter  by  Henry  M.  Stanley. 


dismal  forest,  as  plunging  into  luxury  and  revelling  in 
the  deliglit  of  being  able  for  awhile  to  do  absolutely 
nothing.  On  tlie  contrary  I  find  that  you  have 
scorned  inglorious  ease,  and  burnt  the  midnight  oil 
in  writing  this  narrative  ;  you  have  done  well. 
It  Avas  3'our  bounden  duty  to  write  it;,  and  you 
could  not,  if  you  would,  have  rid  yourself  of  the 
responsibility.  Of  course  you  might  have  begun 
your  narrative  at  the  beginning  of  our  expedition,  but 
I  think  vou  have  done  wiselv  in  not  treadine:  out 
again  already  threshed  corn.  You  have  commenced 
your  stor}"  where  a  great  gap  occurred  in  my  own 
narrative,  a  gap  which  you  alone  could  fill  up.  You 
have  told  your  story  with  so  much  modesty,  and  such 
absolute  truthfulness  and  loyalty  to  myself,  that  I 
cannot  but  feel  pleased  and  grateful  to  you.  There 
is  within  the  covers  of  your  volume  much  matter 
that  is  quite  new  to  me,  much  that  is  extremely 
thrilling  and  exciting,  and  the  whole  is  related  with 
very  enviable  literarj"  tact  and  skill. 

^Vhen  I  despatched  you,  full  of  pluck  and  resolu- 
tion, on  the  first  expedition,  to  convey  my  letter  to 
Emin,  and  messages  to  his  people,  I  knew  that  I  was 
entrusting  a  most  important  mission  to  your  care,  but 
I  little  dreamt  that  it  would  result  in  committing  you 
to  nine  months'  residence  in  an  unknown  and  hostile 
country — that  you  would  be  subjected  to  a  long  im- 
prisonment and  to  imminent  risk  of  death  at  the 
liands  of  those  misguided  people  you  sought  to  save. 

On  April  20th,  1888,  I  sent  you  up  Lake  Albert 
^vith  a  letter  to  Emin,  and  on  the  29th  of  the  same 
month  he  accompanied  you  back  to  Kavalli's.  Finally, 
on  May  22nd,  I  left  you  at  N'sabe  with  Emin  Pasha, 
and  you  returned  with  him  up  the  Lake,  conveying 
my  address,  which  you  were  to  read  to  his  soldiers, 
and  so  prepare  them  all  for  prompt  and  immediate 
evacuation  of  Equatoria,  whilst  I  returned  in  search 
of  the  rear  column. 


Prefalory  Letter  by  Henry  M.  Stanley.  vii 


Then  followed  long-  months  of  suspense,  and  it  was 
not  till  January,  1889,  that  I  again  heard  from  you. 
Your  very  interesting  letter  to  me,  bearing  the  date 
February  7th,  1889,  from  Kavalli's,  being  in  fact  your 
report,  briefly  and  distinctly  told,  conveyed  to  me  all, 
or  nearly  all,  the  information  I  have  hitherto  had 
of  those  months  of  suspense  on  our  part  and  anxiety 
and  suffering  on  yours.  It  will  therefore  be  readily 
understood  that  a  consecutive  and  extended  narrative, 
srivinof  in  full  detail  an  account  of  all  your  adven- 
tures,  must  necessarily  be  to  me,  of  all  men,  most 
interesting. 

I  am  aware  that  all  your  fellow-officers  have  been 
engaged  in  making  valuable  notes  of  the  expedition, 
and  probably  some  of  them  will  print  their  narratives. 
Certainly  they  all  have  my  best  wishes  :  the  special 
and  peculiar  interest,  however,  of  your  narrative  is 
that  it  does  not  in  the  least  traverse  my  ground,  as 
theirs  necessarily  must,  though  from  their  own 
standpoint.  Mr.  Troup  has  written,  and  Mr.  Bonny 
has  written — ^each  no  doubt  describing  what  he  has 
seen  and  done  from  his  own  point  of  view,  and  I 
hope  that  my  most  valued  friend  Dr.  Parke  will  soon 
find  time  to  give  us  an  account  of  his  own  ex- 
periences. Mr.  AVard  too,  I  believe,  has  a  book  in 
hand.  Then  the  time  is  coming  when  we  may  hope 
to  see  what  Dr.  Emin  has  to  tell  the  world.  You 
Avill  remember  that  I  have  sometimes  playfully 
accused  you  of  being  an  Eminist.  I  am  not  now 
altogether  disposed  to  withdraw  that  soft  impeach- 
ment. The  impression  which  your  book  will  convey 
to  an  impartial  reader  is  that  of  much  admiration, 
and  even  affection  for  Emin  in  certain  aspects  of  his 
character,  whilst  you  have  not  been  blind  to  his  mani- 
fest shortcomings  as  a  governor.  It  is  not  necessary 
that  I  should  here  express  at  any  length  the  opinion 
which  I  have  formed  of  Emin.  This  may  be  best 
epitomized  by  a  short  extract  from  a  letter  addressed 


viii       Prefatory  Letter  by  Henry  M.  Stanley. 


by  me  to  my  German  publishers,  and  which  has 
appeared  only  in  the  German  edition  of  my  book. 
The  Germans  are  just  as  excitable  and  emotional  as 
the  French. 

"  In  the  matter  of  Emin,  for  instance,  what  were  they  to  Emin 
or  he  to  them  before  he  was  brought  out  of  Negroland  by  us? 
Emin  was  English  in  sentiment  though  the  nature  of  him  was 
essentially  German.  It  was  English  service  he  aspired  after, 
whatever  he  may  be  now.  His  letters  to  the  British  Foreign 
Office  prove  it.  But  what  business  was  it  of  mine  one  way  or  the 
other?  I  did  not  proceed  to  assist  a  German  or  an  Englishman, 
hut  an  ideal  governor  who  had  fixed  himself  in  my  imagination 
as  a  man  eminently  worthy  of  assistance.  He  was  a  lieutenant  of 
Gordon's,  had  been  sent  far  into  Equatoria  —  was  besieged,  as  I 
thought,  by  the  Mahdists,  and  I  hoped  that  a  supply  of  am- 
munition would  enable  him  to  hold  out  until  the  effect  of  further 
light  upon  his  position  would  be  a  more  general  desire  to  assist 
him.  .  .  .  Starting  as  I  did  with  a  preconceived  liking,  and 
favourably  prejudiced,  why  should  I  not  do  the  same  for  Emin 
as  I  did  for  Livingstone  ?  Simply  because  Emin  would  not  let 
me.  He  contrived  in  the  most  extraordinary  way  to  give  an 
obliquity  to  my  regard  for  him.  There  are  some  things  about 
him  which  are  as  much  a  mystery  to  me  as  ever.  .  .  .  If  I  could 
find  any  part  in  me  that  vexed  him  in  any  way,  shape,  or  form, 
I  would  punish  it  severely,  but  until  some  one  finds  it  out  I 
must  even  be  content  to  be  lost  in  perplexity.  I  was  with  him 
twenty-six  days  on  my  first  visit,  and  my  diary  is  full  of 
pleasantness,  pleasant  chats  by  the  Lake  shore,  and  of  pleasing 
restfulness.  A.  good  deal  of  letter  writing  passed  between 
us,  and  every  epistle  marks  mutual  pleasure.  .  .  .  How  he 
came  away  will  best  be  told  by  the  book,  which  reveals  each 
day's  doings.  The  truth  must  be  told,  however,  that  from  my 
point  of  view  he  remains  as  incomprehensible  now  as  then  in  the 
camp  of  Kavalli.  Everybody  will  make  up  his  own  mind  about 
him — some  kindly,  and  some  with  severity.  I  only  atiect  to  be 
the  reflecting  medium.  ...  It  is  probably  his  morbid  sensitive- 
ness and  prids  that  have  been  his  greatest  obstacle,  in  this,  as  at 
other  times.  His  fall  at  Bagamoyo  has  certainly  upset  every 
theory  I  ever  had  of  him.  When  he  went  into  the  hospital,  a 
shadow  came  between  hirn  and  me  of  so  thick  a  nature  that 
quite  obscured  the  happy  relation  that  I  thought  was  ever  to  be 
between  us.  All  our  officers,  even  Casati,  are  dumb-founded, 
and  none  of  us  dare  venture  an  opinion  as  to  the  cause." 


STet  we  must  none  of  us  forget,  that,  whatever 


Prefatory  Letter  by  Henry  M.  Stanley.  ix 


divergences  may  arise  between  indi^^duals,  or  be- 
tween national  sentiments  in  the  course  of  the  pro- 
gressive rise  of  Africa  from  primeval  obscurity,  our 
task  should  be  above  the  controversies  of  the  moment 
as  it  aspires  to  be  nothing  less  than  our  contribution 
to  the  civilization  of  a  continent  which  I  believe  in  the 
future  will  yield  to  no  other  in  serviceableness  to 
humanity. 

The  want  of  an  International  Copyright  Law  was 
never  more  apparent  than  in  your  case.  A  thousand 
pounds  sterling  was  paid  on  your  behalf  for  the  privi- 
lege of  assisting  in  the  relief  or  rescue  of  Emin  Pasha. 
And  you  gave  three  years  and  three  months  of  3^0 ur 
life  towards  effecting  whatever  was  needed  to  place  a 
worthy  man  out  of  danger.  And  yet  the  narrative  of 
your  experiences,  which  might  return  you  perhaps 
some  part  of  your  outlay  in  pecuniary  value  over  and 
above  the  cost  of  publication,  cannot  be  published  in 
America  with  any  profit  to  yourself  unless  you  be- 
come an  American  citizen,  or  an  American  citizen 
joins  with  you  in  writing  it. 

But  what  a  commentary  on  the  copyright  laws  ! 
when  an  English  author  cannot  get  simple  justice 
unless  he  collaborates  with  an  American ; — there 
must  surely  be  something  in  the  existing  law,  or 
want  of  law,  against  which  common  sense  and 
common  honesty  should  protest  with  all  their  power. 

As  for  the  cloud  of  advertising  impostors  who 
I  doubt  not,  will  buzz  around  your  book  as  they 
have  buzzed  around  mine  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic 
with  unauthorized  imitations,  and  long  extracts  with 
which  they  had  no  right  to  meddle,  these  may  be  left 
with  one  word  of  warning  to  the  contempt  with  which 
the  public  will  inevitably  ^asit  them.  The  reader  of 
your  book  will  plainly  perceive  why  I  have  been  in- 
duced to  assist  you  by  writing  some  portion,  though 
it  is  needless  to  specify  it. 

May  all  your  career,  my  dear  Jephson,  alike  as 
author  and  man  of  action,  be  worthy  of  this  fair  be- 


X 


Prefatory  Letter  by  Henry  M.  Stanley. 


ginning  !  With  all  my  heart  I  commend  to  American 
and  English  readers  this  true  tale  of  work  manfully 
and  nobly  done  and  so  modestly  told. 

Yours  always  sincerely, 


Henry  M.  Stanley. 


PEEFACE. 


Since  my  return  from  Africa  I  have  been  asked  by 
many  people  to  write  about  my  experiences  with 
Emin  Pasha  in  the  Eauatorial  Province,  which  ex- 
tended  over  a  period  of  time  from  April  22nd,  1888, 
when  I  first  reached  M'swa,  to  January  31st,  1889, 
when  I  left  Emin's  province  to  rejoin  my  leader, 
Mr.  Stanley. 

My  friends  have  urged  that  I  alone  can  fill  in  this 
gap  in  the  story  of  the  expedition,  and  I  have  there- 
fore consented  to  write. 

Enough  is  now  known  of  Emin  Pasha  for  people 
to  readily  understand  that  he  was  not  the  man  all 
Europe  supposed  him  to  be  ;  or  "  a  second  Grordon," 
is  some  of  his  admirers  termed  him. 

Proud  of  his  Province,  and  trusting  in  the  loyalty 
of  his  people,  he  asked  Mr.  Stanley  to  leave  one  of 
his  oflBcers  to  help  him  in  preparing  his  people  to 
start  for  the  coast  if  they  wished  to  do  so,  and  to 
make  a  report  upon  the  Province. 

Mr.  Stanley  nominated  me,  and  left  me  with  Emin 
on  his  return  to  Yambuya,  to  bring  up  the  rear 
column. 

I  had  not  been  in  the  Province  long,  before  I 
began  to  see  things  which  surprised  me  greatly,  and 
which  I  could  not  but  deplore.  Discipline,  as  T 
understood  discipline,  was  not  enforced,  for  Emin's 
orders  were  openly  discussed  and  questioned  by  his 
people. 


XII 


Preface. 


So  firmly,  however,  was  the  idea  fixed  in  my  mind 
that  Emin  was  all  we  supposed  him  to  be,  that  for  a 
time  I  only  saw  with  a  passing  feeling  of  wonder 
certain  things  which  then  I  could  not  under- 
stand. 

I  knew  that  Emin  had  held  his  province  for  many 
years,  for  which  he  had  gained  the  admiration  of 
Europe.  I  had  read  his  letters  to  England,  in 
Avbich  he  described  the  heroic  stand  his  people  made 
against  the  encroachments  of  the  Mahdi.  I  had  also 
read  his  appeals  to  the  people  of  England  to  be  true 
to  their  philanthropic  and  humanitarian  traditions, 
and  I  knew  how  the  English  people  had  risen  as  one 
man  to  answer  those  pathetic  appeals. 

In  addition  to  these  letters.  Dr.  Felkin  had  further 
excited  the  popular  sympathy  on  Emin's  behalf  by  a 
highly  coloured  description  of  Emin's  Province,  of 
his  work,  and  of  the  wonderful  way  in  which  he  had 
been  able  to  instil  some  of  his  own  enthusiasm  into 
the  hearts  of  his  devoted  followers.  This  account 
appeared  in  the  Grajjhic  of  January,  1887,  on  the  eve 
of  the  departure  of  the  Expedition,  and  was  eagerly 
read  by  every  one. 

It  may  be  readily  understood,  therefore,  that  for  a 
time  I  was  unable  to  divest  my  mind  of  the  belief  in 
Emin's  wisdom  and  capabilities  as  a  governor. 

It  was  not  until  I  had  witnessed  many  deplorable 
examples  of  his  weakness  and  vacillation  that  I 
began  to  lose  faith  in  his  judgment,  and  it  was  not 
until  afterwards,  when  I  had  conversed  frequently 
with  his  people  and  himself  about  things  in  his 
province,  and  the  repulse  of  the  Mahdi's  forces  four 
years  before,  that  I  found  out  that  Emin  had  only 
told  part  of  the  story ;  only  that  part  which  was 
creditable  to  his  people. 

It  was  perhaps  natural  that  a  man  who  professed 
to  love  his  people  should  prefer  to  dwell  rather  on 
their  good  qualities,  than  on  their  bad  ones.  Still 


Prejace. 


xiii 


his  story,  as  related  in  his  letters,  completely  mis- 
led the  people  of  Europe. 

Instead,  therefore,  of  our  being  received  with 
open  arms  by  Emin's  })eople,  as  he  himself  had  given 
us  to  expect,  we  were  distrusted  by  them,  and  from 
the  very  first  they  conspired  to  rob  us  and  turn  us 
adrift. 

It  was  difficult,  even  after  nine  months  in  the 
Province,  to  understand  what  Emin's  people  really 
Avanted,  and  what  his  own  ideas  really  were. 

To-day  no  words  were  strong  enough  for  Emin  to 
describe  the  baseness  and  fickleness  of  his  people  ; 
to-morrow,  a  word  of  distrust  from  me  about  these 
very  people  was  a  signal  for  grave  displeasure  at  my 
opinion.  He,  like  his  people,  made  a  resolve  one  day 
only  to  break  it  on  the  next,  or  in  true  Oriental 
fashion  to  make  some  compromise. 

It  may  be  that  owing  to  his  long  residence  in  hot 
countries  and  his  consequent  ill-health,  his  natural 
incapacity  to  act  promptly  was  greatly  exaggerated. 

I  have  therefore  endeavoured  to  relate  my  story 
as  simply  as  possible,  and  must  leave  my  readers  to 
draw  their  own  conclusions. 

I  have  no  wish  to  bear  hardly  on  Emin,  and  have 
said  no  more  about  his  want  of  firmness  than  I 
think  is  absolutely  necessary  in  order  to  make  the 
story  intelligible.  To  me  he  was  always  kind,  he 
was  generous,  and,  in  minor  details,  ready  and 
thoughtful. 

In  an  ordinary  individual  his  weakness  might 
have  been  of  little  consequence,  but  what  is  onl}" 
a  small  failing  in  a  private  person  becomes  a  grave 
fault  in  the  governor  of  a  country,  and  leads  as- 
suredly to  ruin  and  disaster. 

Emin  was  yar  excellence  a  scientist,  and  I 
have  it  from  himself  that  he  originally  took  service 
as  a  doctor  under  the  Egyptian  Government  in  order 
to  extend  the  scientific  researches  in  the  Equatorial 


xiv 


Preface. 


Province,  which  he  had  already  been  following  for 
years  in  the  East.  Chance  only  had  made  him  Mudir. 
It  was  this  work  which  absorbed  his  deepest  S}Tn- 
pathies,  leading  him  sometimes  to  neglect  the  duties 
of  his  position. 

Before  concluding  this  preface,  I  take  the  oppor- 
tunity of  briefly  expressing  my  thanks  to  Mr. 
Stanley  for  the  assistance  he  has  so  readily  given  me 
in  preparing  my  book  for  publication  ;  assistance 
which  has  in  many  ways  been  of  great  value  to  me. 

A.  J.  Mounteney-Jephson, 


London,  August,  1890. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

START  TO  FIND  EM  IN. 

Receipt  of  letter  from  Emin  Pasha — Nyanza  Plain — Launch  of 
Advance  on  the  Nyanza — Zanzibari  crews — Their  song — 
Arrival  at  Kanama — Friendly  reception  by  natives — 
Uledi's  warning — Dialect  and  gestures  of  natives — Striking 
scenery  of  Lake  shore — Lake  villages — Unpleasant  taste  of 
Lake  water — Baboons — Ciiief  Mogo — Kajalf  speaks  of 
Emin — Soliloquy — Emin's  first  station  reached — Reception 
at  M'swa — Shukri  Aga — I  tell  our  story — Our  tattered 
condition — My  luggage — Emin's  unaccountable  inaction — 
More  news  of  Casati — Zanzibaris  happy  ! — Emin's  letter 
— Suliman  Effendi — Cultivation  around  M'swa — Cloth- 
making — Meeting  with  Emin — Suggestions  about  return 
route — Emin's  kindness — Emin  learns  the  origin  of  the 
Expedition — Our  letters  stopped  in  Uganda 

CHAPTER  IL 

MEETING  OF  STANLEY  AND  EMIN — PLANS  DISCUSSED, 

Steamer  Khedive — Her  condition — Emin  arrives  in  our  camp — 
Reception  by  the  Zanzibaris — Our  camp  at  N'sabe — Emin 
wishes  Stanley  to  leave  one  of  his  officers — Plan  made  for 
relieving  Fort  Bodo — Stanley  and  Parke  start  on  return 
journey — Death  of  Mabruki — Emin's  love  of  entomology — 
Attack  on  Kibero — Kabba-regga's  punishment — Chief 
Ouma — Chief  Ouma's  visit — Lur  dance — Smells  peculiar 
to  different  tribes — We  arrive  at  Tunguru — Rajud  falling 
of  Lake  Albert — Intriguing  of  Egyptian  clerks — Punish- 
ment  of  intriguers — Story  of  the  mutiny  of  1st  Battalion 
— Character  of  Emin's  officers — Khedive's  letter — Nubar 
Pasha's  letter — Stanley's  address  to  Emin's  soldiers — 
Letters   read   to    the   people — "We  will    follow  our 


xvi 


Contents. 


Governor !  " — The  people's  natural  desire  to  remain  in 
Province — From  Tunguru  to  Wadelai — Boki's  village — 
Boki's  imprisonment — Description  of  country — Lowness  of 
Nile — Chief  Okello — Xative  ornaments — Chief  Wadelai  . 

CHAPTER  in. 

FROM  WADELAI  TO  DUFILE. 

Arrival  at  "Wadelai — Emin's  compound  and  house — Signor 
Marco — Farida — Emin's  scientific  proclivities — Wadelai 
Station — The  Wahuma — Reminiscences  of  Sir  Samuel 
Baker — Nyadue,  or  the  Morning  Star — Deputation  from 
1st  Battalion — Endeavour  to  relieve  Fort  Bodo — Faratch 
Aga — State  of  affairs  at  Rejaf — Hamad  Aga's  estimate  of 
Emin — Doubts  as  to  Emin's  wisdom — Faratch  Aga's 
shame — Emin  acts  a  farce — Ferocity  of  crocodiles — Bari 
crocodile-hunters — Answer  of  soldiers  of  Wadelai — Emin's 
ivory — Start  for  Dufile — Blocks  on  the  Xile — We  reach 
Dufile — Curious  custom — Description  of  Diifile  Station — 
Government  buildings — Hawashi  Effendi — Hawashi 
Effendi's  estimate  of  Egyptian  guile — An  Arab  feast — 
Hawashi  Effendi's  warning — More  doubts 


CHAPTER  IV. 

TROUBLK  IMPENDING. 

We  start  for  Rejaf — A  herd  of  elephants — Country  near  Dufile 
cataracts — Chor  Ayu — Lahore  station — Selira  Aga — 
Donkeys  of  the  country — Bari  women — Arrival  at  Muggi 
— Abdullah  Aga  Manzal — Thievish  propensities  of  Emin's 
soldiers — Arrival  at  Kirri — Bachit  Aga — Gordon's  favourite 
amusements — Bari  ornaments  and  dress — State  of  the 
country  occupied  by  1st  Battalion — The  soldiers  of  Kirri 
distrust  us — Speaking  to  the  people  of  Kirri — -Makraka 
music  and  dance — Letter  from  Hamad  Aga — Confirmation 
of  my  worst  fears — Insubordination  of  the  soldiers  of  Kirri 
— Our  return  to  Muggi — Alarming  news  from  Kirri — 
Emin's  sad  story — Soldiers  of  Rejaf  come  to  see  F^min — 
Emin's  confidence  in  his  soldiers — Xews  from  Hawashi 
Effendi — Story  of  Taha  Mahomet — Strangers  in  Latooka — 
Bari  chief's  generosity — My  servant  Binza  prays — Possible 
return  of  he  Mahdists — Evacuation  of  Muggi  begun — 
Satisfactory  condition  of  country  round  Muggi — Good  in- 
fluence of  Abdullah  Aga  Manzal  


Contents. 


xvii 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  BARI  TRIBE. 

PAGE 

Physique  of  the  Baris — Dress — Iron  ornaments — Powers  of 
chiefs — Fines  for  ilifferent  offences — Modes  of  making  war 
— Weapons — Hunting — Huts  and  villages — Storing  food 
— Polygamy — Dogs — Cattle — ^lethod  of  tending  cattle — 
Milking — Domestic  animals— Alimentation — Tobacco — 
Bari  cookery — Relations  between  married  people — Cere- 
monies connected  with  child-birth — Ceremonies  connected 
with  marriage — Position  of  women — Funeral  ceremonies — 
Religious  superstitions — Office  of  rainmaker — Their  cus- 
toms and  position  .       .        .        .        .  .  .125 

CHAPTER  VI. 

BEGINNING  OF  THE  REBELLION. 

Arrival  at  Lahore — Reading  of  the  letters — Mutiny  of  the 
soldiers — Speaking  to  the  mutineers — Soldiers'  distrust  of 
their  Mudir — Demeanour  of  Emin's  followers — The  muti- 
neers send  for  me — Departure  for  Chor  Ayu — The  Mahdists 
at  Boa — Khedive's  letter  sent  to  Rejaf— Emin's  opinion  of 
the  Khedive's  letter — Desertion  of  Emin's  orderly — Letter 
announcing  rebellion  of  2nd  Battalion — Emin's  distress  at 
the  news — Short-sightedness  of  Emin's  people — Our  de- 
parture for  Dnfile — Rain  and  sunshine — Di  eary  appearance 
of  country — We  prepare  to  enter  Dufile  .       .       .  .145 

CHAPTER  VII. 

OUR  IMPRISONMENT  AT  DUFILE. 

We  approach  Dufile — Attitude  of  the  people — Entry  into  the 
station — Surrounded  by  sentries — Insults  of  the  soldiers — 
Greeting  of  the  Circassian  tinker — We  are  imprisoned — 
The  contrast  to  our  entry  a  month  before — Selim  Aga 
consults  the  mutineers — Fadl  el  Mulla's  reason  for  rebelling 
— The  mutineers  of  Rejaf  are  sent  for — Our  life  in  prison 
— Our  servants  insult«!d — Hawashi  Effendi's  position — 
The  rebels  form  a  plan  to  entrap  Stanley^ — News  from 
M'swa — Stanley's  supposed  arrival  at  Kavallis — Arrival  of 
rebels  from  Rejaf — My  orderlies  are  examined — I  go 
before  the  rebel  council — Questioned  by  the  rebels — 
Letters  read  before  the  council — "You  and  your  master 
are  impostors  !  " — My  tirade  against  the  rebels — "  Chivalry 

a 


xviii 


Contents. 


in  a  negro  " — Fadl  el  MuUa  asserts  himself — Emin  signs 
the  papers — Steamer  to  be  sent  to  M'swa — I  prepare  to 
start  in  steamer — Start  from  Dufile — Unpleasant  ex- 
periences on  board — Arrival  at  Wadelai — Little  Farida — 
Five  "children  at  a  birlh — Consultation  with  the  Wadelai 
soldiers — General  disconterit  in  Wadelai — Atmosphere  of 
treachery  ......... 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

STEAMER  JOURNEY  WITH  REBELS. 

Kodi  Aga's  defection — Sand  bar — Arrival  at  Tunguru — 
Stanley's  arrival  contradicted — Casati's  grievances — Ab- 
dullah Vaab  Effendi — Casati's  life  in  the  Province — 
Reason  of  his  coming  to  Africa — His  treatment  by 
Kaba-regga — Sulinian  Aga  beaten  by  his  soldiers — Vita's 
house  looted — Emin's  Irregulars — Departure  of  steamer 
for  M'swa — Moslem  protestations  of  friendliness — Influence 
of  Egyptians  on  the  Soudanese — Message  from  Sliukri 
Aga — Shukri  Aga's  ruse — Seizure  of  ammunition  by  rebels 
— From  Tunguru  to  "Wadelai — Drunken  officers  set  fire  to 
huts — Breakfast  of  Afiican  dainties — Farida  and  the  neck- 
lace— Steamer  journey  to  Dufile — Eniiu's  judges — Arrival 
at  Dufile — Sad  fate  of  the  Kirri  clerk  .... 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  REBEL  COUNCIL. 

Fadl  el  Mulla  opens  proceedings — Accusations  brought  against 
Emin — The  first  day's  proceedings  close — Indictment 
against  the  Governor — Signing  of  Emin's  deposition — 
"\Vhat  is  to  be  done  with  the  Mudirl — Emin  longs  ior  a 
glimpse  of  trees — The  case  of  Hawashi  Effendi — Furj'  of 
the  people  against  him — Accusations  proved — Spoliation 
of  Hawashi's  property — Osman  Latif — Khedive's  letter 
credited — Emin  to  be  sent  to  Rejaf — Suspense — Books — 
Quarrels  among  the  rebels — Binza's  wife's  head  is  too  hard 
— Flogging  of  women — -Visit  to  Osman  Latif — General 
desertion  to  the  rebels — Emin's  disappointment — General 
discontent  of  the  soLliers — Emin  makes  his  will — Letter 
from  Osman  Latif — Plans  made  by  the  rebels — Trial  of 
Vita  Hassan — Vita  Hassan  questions  me — Inability  of  the 
people  to  help  themselves — A  pretentious  people — Emin's 
house  looted — Spirit  of  "  laisser  /aire  "  in  the  Province  . 


Contents. 


CHAPTER  X. 

ARRIVAL  OF  THE  MAHDi's  FORCES. 

The  Mahdists are  upon  us — General  consternation — Intelligence 
department — Council  called  in  haste — Soldiers  are 
despatched  to  Kejaf — Defenceless  state  of  the  Province — 
Arrival  of  the  Peacock  dervishes — The  Bible  and  the 
sword — Letter  from  the  Mahdist  general — Emin  com- 
manded to  surrender — Rebels  ask  Emin's  advice — Abder- 
rahini,  son  of  Osman  Latif — His  courageous  behaviour — 
The  rebels'  plans — The  dervishes  are  examined — The 
Kliartoura  steamers — Royle's  book  on  Egypt — Stores  in 
the  arsenal  of  Khartoum — Fugitives  arrive  in  Dufile — 
Robbery  and  violence  among  the  soldiers — Emin's  un- 
selfishness— Letter  from  Osman  Latif — The  blow  falls — 
Rejaf  taken — General  rising  of  the  natives — Torturing  of 
the  dervishes — Brave  fanatics — More  news  of  the  fall  of 
Rejaf — A  dangerous  step  to  take — Superstition  of  the 
soldiers — Dufile  put  into  a  defensive  state — My  advice  to 
the  rebels — Bravery  of  the  dervishes — Their  cruel  death — 
Marty  idom  ......... 


CHAPTER  XL 

PRISONERS  OX  PAROLE. 

Letter  from  Hassan  Lutvi — Rumours  of  Stanley's  arrival — 
Rising  of  the  natives — Emin's  house  searched — Position 
of  affairs  at  Muggi — Letter  of  warning  written  to  Stanley 
— Osman  Latif  is  sent  to  Wadelai — Mustapha  flogs  his 
wife  to  death — Children  drowned  in  the  river — Extra- 
ordinary weather — Epidemic  among  the  cattle — Insubor- 
dination of  soldiers  at  Wadelai — Shuli  sorcerer — Abdullah 
is  the  thief — Arrogance  of  Emin's  soldiers — Negro  troops — 
Emin's  treatment  of  his  soldiers — Second  disaster  at  Rejaf 
— Officers  killed  in  the  flight — Stories  told  of  the  soldiers 
— Rebels  decide  to  send  us  to  Wadelai — Emin's  farewell 
at  Dufile — Our  arrival  at  Wadelai — Enthusiastic  reception 
to  Emin — Cowed  attitude  of  people  at  the  outbreak  of  the 
rebellion — Emin  free  from  all  responsibility — Joy  of 
people  at  Emin's  return — Our  position  at  Wadelai — 
Europeanizing  the  negro — Possible  improvementof  negroes 
— Ropes  of  sand — Spread  of  Mahdism — Reported  out- 
break of  Irregulars — Rumour  of  approach  of  Mahdists — 
Inactivity    of    the    peojjle — Egyptian     effrontery — The 

a  2 


XX 


Contents. 


soldiers  make  a  demonstration — Emin  unable  to  speak 
out — Emin  declares  he  knows  his  people — A  contemptible 
Egyptian   272 

CHAPTER  XII. 

FLIGHT  from:  WADELaI. 

News  of  the  fall  of  the  northern  stations — Council  of  war  held 
—Soldiers  implore  Emin  to  take  charge  of  them — Flight 
decided  on — We  prepare  for  the  flic;ht — We  throw  away 
our  treasures — I  disable  the  Adranre — Binza,  a  regular 
character — Our  flight  from  Wadelai — Desertion  of  the 
soldiers — Strange  baggage  of  the  fugitives — Heart-rending 
scene  at  the  river — Curious  ideas  about  evacuation — We 
camp — Arrival  of  the  steamer — Lett(!r  from  Selim  Aga 
Matara — Description  of  the  siege  of  Dulile — Emin  decides 
to  go  on — Further  particulars  of  the  siege  of  Dufile — 
Cowardice  shown  by  the  soldiers — Our  narrow  escape — 
Conduct  of  soldiers  in  former  Mahili  war — Rumours 
accounted  for — We  reach  Okello's — Arrival  at  Tunguru    .  315 

CHAPTEK  XIII. 

SUSPENSE  AT  TUN'GDRU. 

Rumoured  meeting  of  Irregulars  untrue — Emin  decides  to  stay 
where  he  is — More  letters  from  Dufile — Wrong  impressions 
given  by  Dr.  Felkin — Strange  silence  as  to  the  real  position 
of  affairs — Letters  of  rebel  officers  to  Selim  Aga — Accusa- 
tions brought  against  Emin — Mischief  made  by  the  chief 
clerk — Soudanese  tricked  by  the  Egyptians — Suliman  Aga 
arrives  wounded  at  Tunguiu — Indifference  of  Soudanese  to 
pain — Beating  the  dervishps  to  death — Walks  near  Tun- 
guru— Visit  from  Mogo — Cnristmas  Day — Death  of  Suli- 
man Aga — An  Arab  funeral — The  last  chronicles  of 
Lupton  Bey — The  taking  of  Bahr  el  Ghazal — Xegroes 
cut  off  the  refugees — Dufile  is  abandoned  and  burnt — Birds 
of  the  Equatorial  Province — A  day's  shooting — Sketch  of 
the  dwarfish  tribes  of  Central  Africa       ....  338 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

NEWS  OF  STANLEY  AT  LAST. 

The  Council  sits  at  Wadelai — Emin  will  not  move — Saleh  Aga 
surrounded  by  natives— Method  of  declaring  war — The 
grain  tax — Natives  on  the  verge  of  rebellion — Death  of 
Boki — Quarrels  among  the  officert — Drunkenness  and  de- 


Contents. 


xxi 


bauchery  at  Wadelai — Grass  fires — Their  effect  on  trees — 
Biblical  scenes — Stanley  at  last  ! — His  letters  to  me — 
Official  letter  to  Emin — A  tale  of  death  and  disaster — 
Wreck  of  the  rear  column — Deaths  of  Barttelot  and  Jame- 
son— Saleh  Aga's  pcrverseness — Saleh  Aga  cowed — Emin 
writes  to  Stanley — Preparations  for  a  start — Arrival  of  the 
steamer — Rumours  of  Stanley's  strength — Proceedings  of 
the  Council  confirmed — Emin  a  man  of  compromises       ,  376 

CHAPTER  XV. 

START  TO  JOIN  STANLEY. 

I  leave  Tunguru  for  M'swa — Hot  sulphur  springs — Arrival  at 
M'swa  —  Shukri  Aga's  helpfulness  —  Arrangements  for 
refugees — Woman's  giatitude — Left  in  the  lurch — Con- 
sultation with  Lur  chiefs — Letter  to  Emin — Choosing  a 
body-guard — Friendly  tribes  sacrificed — Final  start  in 
canoes — "  Taking  fire  from  a  stone  " — Native  salutations — 
Magunga — Magala's  complaint — Melindwa's  country — 
Thievish  Lurs — Dignified  bearing  of  Wahoma — Contrast 
between  soldiers  and  Wahoma — I  reach  Katonza's  village 
— Enforced  delay — My  looking-glass  creates  a  sensation — 
Fatiguing  palaver  with  Katonza — We  ascend  the  moun 
tains — Met  by  Stanley's  couiiers — Boisterous  welcome  by 
Zanzibaris — I  rejoin  my  leader — Letters  from  home  .       .  410 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
emin's  relief. 

OurcanipatKavalli's — A  difficult  story  to  tell — Plans  discussed 
— Stanley  sends  for  Stairs — Letter  despatched  to  Emin — 
Among  friends  again — Letter  from  Emin — Emin's  arrival 
at  Were — Zanzibaris  welcome  Emin — Pasha's  story — Un- 
looked-for turn  of  Fortune's  wheel — Refugees  require 
carriers — Start  with  Emin  for  Kavalli's — Patient  Zanzi- 
baris— Emin's  and  Stanley's  second  meeting — Stairs  and 
his  party  arrive — The  Expedition  re-united — "  Dead  ! 
Master  !  Dead  !  " — Reflections — The  end        .       .  .442 

CONCLUSION. 

Emin's  unreasoning  acerbity — Treatment  of  women  on  the 
march — Maior  Wissmann's  letter  -  Emin's  curious  forget- 
fulness — Emin's  attack  upon  Stanley — Accident  to  Emin — 
Treatment  of  refugees  at  Zanzibar — Farewell  to  Emin— A 
curious  combination       .......  461 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

PHOTOGEA  VURES. 
Portrait  of  A.  J.  Mountkney-Jephson    ....  Frontispiece, 

(From  a  Photograph  by  permission  of  M.  Walery.) 

Portrait  of  IIexry  ^I.  Stanley    .       .       .       Facing  Prefatory  Letter. 
(After  a  Pen  Drawing  by  Valerian  Gribayedoff.) 

FULL-PAGE  ENGRAVINGS. 

Facing 
page 

Start  to  Find  Emin   4 

Portrait  of  Emin  Pasha   24 

Addressing  Soldiers  at  Tunguru        .       .       .       .      ...  .42 

Interior  of  Emin's  House   60 

Emin  Arranging  his  Specimens   112 

A  Bari  Village   130 

The  Mutiny  at  Lahore   146 

Types  of  Emin's  People   152 

Entry  into  Dufile   162 

Reading  the  Khedive's  Letter  before  the  Rebel  Council       .       .  176 

Sitting  of  the  Rebel  Council   210 

Our  Prison  in  Dufil6   224 

Torturing  the  Peacock  Dervishes   262 

Peacock  Dervishes  Passing  through  Guard-House    ....  270 

Upsetting  of  a  Canoe  in  the  Xile   278 

The  Plight  from  Wadelai   324 

EvENnNo  on  Lake  Albert  at  Tunguru   366 

News  of  Stanley  at  Last   388 

Good-bye  to  Emin   410 

Escape  from  Tunguru  to  Join  .Stanley   422 

I  Rejoin  my  Leader   442 


xxiv 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


ENGRAVINGS  IN  THE  TEXT. 


African  Ragamuffins  {By  Mrs.  Henry  M.  Stanley)     .       .  Title-page. 

Page 

CUIEF  MOGO                                                                                                            .  12 

M'swA  Station   35 

LuR  Dance   38 

BoKi's  Wife  Intercedes  for  hee  Husband   56 

View  from  Wadelai   64 

Landing  at  Dufil£   80 

Plan  of  Dufile  Station   82 

Herd  of  Elephants   91 

Selim  Aga  Matara   94 

Bari  Man   126 

Bari  Woman   127 

Bari  Cattle  and  Goat   133 

Bari  Cooking  Pots  and  Gourd   137 

Bari  Hoe  for  Men   141 

Bari  Spud  for  Women    ...    141 

On  the  Road  from  Labore  to  Dufile  .......  157 

Portrait  of  Captain  Casati   193 

Farida  and  the  Necklace   205 

OsMAN  Latif  Teaching  his  Children   228 

Hadji  Fatma's  Joy   291 

Breaking  up  of  the  Advance                                                       .  319 

Dwarf  with  Bow  and  Arrow  {By  Mrs.  Henry  M.  Stanley)        .       .  370 

A  Woman's  Gratitude   414 

Sighting  Stanley's  Zanzibaris   439 

MAP  AND  FACSIMILE  LETTER. 

Map  of  the  Equatorial  Province  In  Pocket. 

Fao-simile  of  the  Mahdi's  Letter  In  Pocket. 


EMIN  PASHA 


CHAPTER  I. 

START  TO  FIXD  EMIN. 

Receipt  of  letter  from  Emin  Paslia — Nyaiiza  Plain — Launch  of 
Advance  on  the  Xyanza- — Zanzibari  crews — Their  song — Arrival 
at  Kanania— Friendly  reception  l)y  natives — Uledi's  warning — 
Dialect  and  gestures  of  natives — Striking  scenery  of  Lake  shore 
— Lake  vi]l;i_!:es — Unpleasant  taste  of  l>ake  water — Baboons — 
Chief  Mogo — Kajalf  speaks  of  Emin— Soliloquy — Emin's  first 
station  reached — Eeception  at  M'swa — Shukri  Aga — I  tell  our 
story — Our  tattered  condition — My  luggage — Emin's  unaccount- 
able inaction — More  news  of  Casati — -Zanzibaris  hajipy  ! — Emin's 
letter — Sulinian  Effendi- — Cultivation  round  M'swa — Cloth- 
making — Meeting  M-ith  Emm — Suggestions  about  return  route — 
Emin's  kindness — Emin  learns  the  origin  of  the  Expedition — 
Our  letters  stopped  in  L'ganda. 

Readers  of  "  In  Darkest  Africa,"  and  of  Mr. 
Stanley's  letters  to  the  Emin  Relief  Committee, 
w'hicli  have  appeared  in  the  English  journals,  will 
remember  that  on  our  first  arrival  at  the  Albert 
Xyanza  in  the  middle  of  December,  1887,  we  Avere 
soon  compelled  to  retrace  our  steps,  and  march  back 
to  the  forest.  They  will  also  remember  that  our 
sadden  return  from  the  Lake  Avas  due  to  the  fact  that 
Emin — though  informed  of  the  advance  of  an  expedi- 
tion to  his  relief,  which  would  make  for  the  south- 
west corner  of  the  Lake — had  taken  no  steps  to  com- 
municate with  the  natives,  or  to  warn  them  of  our 
expected  appearance  in  their  neighbourhood.  Con- 
sequently we  CO  aid  gain  no  intelligence  of  him,  nor 

B 


2 


Emin  Pasha. 


were  there  any  means  of  conveying  a  message  to 
him.  The  natives  possessed  no  canoes  ot"  sufficient 
size  to  navigate  the  Lake,  and  the  steel  boat  Advance, 
with  which  we  had  purposed  to  sail  to  Wadelai,  we 
had  been  obliged  to  leave  far  behind  in  the  forest  at 
the  Itiiri  River  near  Ipoto,  as  our  men,  distressed  by 
sickness,  and  weakened  by  months  of  hunger,  were 
utterly  unable  to  carry  her. 

On  the  8th  January,  1888,  we  selected  a  site  for  a 
halting-place  at  Ibwiri,  about  130  miles  west  from 
Lake  Albert,  and  began  the  construction  of  Fort 
Bodo,  in  which  while  waiting  for  the  rear  column, 
and  the  coming  up  of  our  convalescents,  our  surplus 
stores,  and  weakly  men  could  be  housed.  Meantime 
Lieutenant  Stairs,  with  100  men,  was  sent  to  the 
Ituri,  90  miles  westward,  to  bring  up  the  boat. 
This  being  done,  the  Fort  completed,  fields  sown  and 
planted  for  the  subsistence  of  the  garrison,  we  set 
out  on  April  2nd  for  the  Albert  Nyanza,  to  again  try 
and  find  Emin  ;  but  this  time  we  possessed  the  steel 
boat  Advance  in  which  we  might  search  for  him. 

On  the  18th  of  April  the  advanced  column  of  the 
Emin  Pasha  Relief  Expedition  had  reached  the 
neighbourhood  of  Lake  Albert  for  the  second  time, 
and  formed  camp  at  the  village  of  a  chief  called 
Kavalli,— who  was  a  fine  specimen  of  the  shepherd 
tribe  Wahuma.  The  chief  soon  after  our  arrival 
produced  a  letter  which  was  addressed  to  Mr.  H.  M. 
Stanley,  commanding  the  Relief  Expedition.  It 
proved  to  be  the  first  communication  from  Emin 
Pasha,  Governor  of  Equatoria,  the  man  whom  we 
had  come  so  far  to  relieve.  It  was  dated  Tunguru, 
March  25th,  1888,  which  was  said  to  be  at  the  north 
end  of  Lake  Albert. 


Start  to  find  Emin. 


A  day  or  two  after,  Mr.  Stanley  ordered  me  to  take 
the  steel  boat  down  to  the  Lake,  and  with  a  chosen 
crew  to  proceed  to  inform  Emin  that  Ave  had  arrived, 
and  that  the  first  instalment  of  relief  Avas  ready. 
Surgeon  Parke,  our  good  doctor,  and  a  body  of  men 
were  detailed  to  escort  us  down  to  the  Lake  shore. 
We  reached  the  Lake  with  the  boat  in  good  order, 
and  I  immediately  began  to  screw  the  sections  to- 
gether. 

It  had  been  hard  work  getting  the  boat  down  the 
steep  mountain  to  the  plain  below,  on  the  other  side 
of  which  lay  the  Lake.  The  men  were,  however, 
in  good  condition,  and  worked  cheerily,  and  we 
were  able  to  camp  at  a  large  ^^llage  in  good  time, 
having  marched  eleven  miles.  The  natives  were 
very  friendly,  and  brought  presents  of  goats  and 
corn.  This  large  plain,  which  lies  on  the  south-west 
shore  of  the  Lake,  surrounded  by  an  amphitheatre 
of  high  rugged  mountains,  is  most  beautiful.  It  is 
like  a  great  park,  picturesquely  studded  with  thickets 
and  beautiful  trees.  On  the  short  sweet  grass  herds 
of  antelope  and  buffalo  may  be  seen  peacefully 
grazing.  It  is  a  perfect  hunter's  paradise.  On 
April  21st  we  reached  the  Lake  shore,  and  at  once 
began  to  get  the  boat  put  together. 

Parke  and  I  were  to  part  here,  he  to  return  to 
Kavalli's  with  the  rest  of  the  men,  and  I,  with  my 
boat's  crew,  was  to  start  off  in  search  of  Emin. 

My  crew  of  fifteen  consisted  of  some  of  the  best 
men  in  the  expedition,  as  Stanley  had  allowed  me  to 
choose  my  own  boat's  crew.  I  had  chosen  those 
who  from  time  to  time  had  rowed  the  boat  up  the 
Congo  and  Aruwimi,  who  were  all  tried  men,  and 
thoroughly  at  home  in  the  boat.    The  faithful  Uledi 

B  i 


4 


Em  in  Pasha. 


was  coxswain,  and  Murabo  and  Sudi,  who  had  both 
been  with  Stanley  on  former  expeditions,  were 
pulling  the  stroke  oars.  The  rest  Avere  fine  active 
men,  and  all  young.  It  is  a  most  important  thing  to 
take  young  men  for  any  particular  mission,  as  the 
negro,  after  arriving  at  the  age  of  twenty-five,  loses 
as  a  rule  the  power  of  acting  quickly  and  promptly, 
Avhich  is  not  the  case  with  a  European.  By  the 
time  I  had  got  the  boat  put  together  and  our  five 
days'  provisions  on  board,  it  was  one  o'clock.  I  gave 
the  order  to  shove  oif,  and  the  forty-five  men  who 
were  returning  to  Stanley's  camp  with  Parke  dashed 
into  the  water,  and  pushed  us  far  out  into  the  lake, 
with  loud  cheers.  Parke  swung  his  cap  over  his 
head,  and  he  and  his  men  wished  us  good  luck,  and 
gave  us  three  cheers,  to  which  we  responded  from  the 
boat.  "  Now,  boys  !  "  I  said,  turning  to  the  crew, 
"  pull  as  you  never  pulled  before,  and  Inshallah  we 
shall  see  the  Pasha,  whom  we  have  already  toiled 
so  long  to  reach,  in  two  or  three  days."  They 
responded  with  a  shout  of  "  Inshallah,  Master  !  "  and, 
bending  their  backs  to  the  oars,  sent  the  boat  flying 
gaily  through  the  water.  Murabo  struck  up  one  of 
the  crooning  but  not  inharmonious  songs  which  the 
Zanzibar  boatmen  usually  sing  when  rowing,  and  to 
which  they  keep  time  with  their  oars.  He  sang  of 
the  forest  and  the  troubles  we  had  gone  through,  of 
praise  of  our  great  chief,  Bula  Matari,  of  the  miles 
we  had  marched  to  help  the  Pasha,  of  our  nearness 
to  him  now,  and  of  our  troubles  ended.  The  crew 
joined  in  a  chorus  in  which  the  names  of  Bula 
Matari  and  the  Pasha  were  mingled. 

There  was  a  fresh  breeze  which  rufiied  the  face  of 
the  lake  into  tiny  waves,  the  sun  was  shining  bright. 


\ 

( 


I 

I 

j 

J 

I 
( 

i 

i 

I 
\ 

i 


Start  to  find  Emin. 


5 


to  the  west  was  the  beautiful  park-like  plain  through 
which  we  had  passed  that  morning  ;  in  the  distance 
to  the  east,  the  noble  mountains  of  Unyoro  rose 
almost  perpendicularly  from  the  lake.  Everything 
seemed  fresh  and  bright  and  beautiful,  and  one's 
spirits  rose  to  the  occasion  ;  the  men  seemed  to  feel  it 
too,  and,  putting  their  whole  strength  into  the  oars, 
sent  the  boat  bounding  through  the  Avater. 

We  passed  Xyamsassie  Island,  where  the  natives 
came  and  looked  at  us  timidly  from  behind  the  bushes  ; 
we  swept  through  a  narrow  channel  between  the 
mainland  and  the  island,  and  entered  a  big  bay  some 
eight  miles  broad  from  point  to  point.  Here  were 
great  herds  of  hippopotami  rolling  and  plunging  in 
the  water,  and  we  had  to  steer  out  into  the  lake  to 
avoid  them,  as  they  often  attack  and  destroy  boats 
or  canoes  in  passing. 

Some  twelve  miles  ahead,  the  plain  ended  and  the 
mountains  turning  sharply  to  the  east  came  sheer 
down  into  the  lake,  in  one  great  headland.  At  the 
foot  of  the  mountains  we  could  see  in  the  distance 
the  blue  smoke  rising  from  a  large  village,  and  I 
pointed  this  out  to  my  men  as  the  place  where  I 
intended  to  camp  that  night. 

Emin  had  written  to  Stanley  from  a  place  called 
Tunguru,  but  Katto,  one  of  Kavalli's  brothers,  whom 
I  had  in  the  boat  with  me,  and  who  was  to  act  as 
interpreter  for  me  with  the  natives  along  the  lake 
shore,  said  that  there  was  another  Egyptian  station 
called  M'swa,  some  distance  nearti'  to  us,  and  that 
we  should  take  from  three  and  a  half  to  four  days  to 
reach  it  in  the  boat. 

As  we  neared  the  mountains  we  could  see  that  the 
village  was  a  very  large  one,  and  was  surrounded  by 


6 


Emin  Pasha. 


groves  of  bananas.  There  were  a  good  many  canoes 
drawn  up  on  the  beach,  and  numbers  of  fishing  nets 
were  spread  out  to  dry ;  the  population  evidently 
lived  principally  by  fishing.  "\Ye  could  see  the 
natives  hiding  in  the  grass  and  behind  the  huts,  and 
just  peering  out  to  look  at  us.  Katto  stood  up  in  the 
bow  of  the  boat,  and  making  signs  of  friendship,  and 
shouting  out  friendly  words,  told  the  natives  we  were 
the  people  of  Bui  a  Matari,  the  great  white  chief 
(Inkama),  who  had  just  reached  the  lake,  and  who 
was  going  to  visit  his  brother  Mlidju  at  the  north 
end  of  the  lake.  He  told  them  Bula  Matari's  son 
was  in  the  boat,  and  wished  to  sleep  at  their  village. 
After  consulting  some  minutes  together,  during 
which  time  Katto  kept  up  a  running  fire  of  friendly 
greetings,  the  natives  came  down  in  a  large  body  to 
the  water's  edge  and  told  us  they  would  be  glad  to 
make  friends  with  Bula  Matari's  son,  and  would 
allow  him  to  sleep  at  their  village  and  would  give 
his  people  food. 

After  some  little  further  talk  we  ran  the  boat 
ashore  at  about  5.30. 

I  landed  and  was  introduced  to  the  chief,  who  told 
me  his  name  was  Vaju,  and  that  the  name  of  his 
village  was  Kanama  ;  he  asked  me  my  name,  and  I 
told  him  it  was  Bubarika,  and  that  I  was  a  son  of 
Bula  Matari.  Vaju  was  a  villainous-looking  old 
fellow  with  a  face  deeply  marked  with  small-pox, 
he  had  only  one  eye,  but  Yankumbu,  his  son,  some 
twenty-five  years  old,  had  the  pleasantest  face  and 
manners,  and  one  felt  instinctively  he  could  be  trusted. 
I  then  ordered  the  boat  to  be  hauled  up,  as  the 
lake  was  getting  rough,  and  a  tolerably  large  sea 
was  tumbling  in  on  the  strand.    Uledi,  on  hearing  the 


Vaj'jc,  chief  of  Kanama. 


7 


order,  said  to  me  "  Master  remember  Bumbireh,  and 
the  Bwana  Mkubwa's  star}-  of  it;  don't  let  them  haul 
the  boat  up  too  far."  However,  we  were  obliged  to 
haul  her  clear  of  the  water,  or  she  would  have  been 
broken  by  the  sea,  but  I  had  her  in  a  position  so  that 
at  a  moment's  warning  we  could  run  her  into  the  lake. 

I  ordered  the  men  to  light  their  camp  fires  on  the 
beach,  and  sleep  all  round  the  boat  with  their  guns 
beside  them.  I  slept  in  sight  of  the  boat  in  front  of 
Yankumbu's  hut,  and  he  introduced  me  to  his  wife 
and  little  baby,  of  which  he  seemed  very  fond. 

Vaju  and  some  of  his  chiefs  brought  me  some  fish, 
and  came  and  sat  all  round  me,  whilst  I  was  eating 
my  dinner,  watching  me  use  my  knife  and  fork  with 
the  greatest  interest. 

We  had  a  long  talk,  and  he  told  me  how  he  had 
heard  of  Bula  Matari's  arrival  at  the  lake  four 
months  before,  and  of  the  great  number  of  guns  we 
had  with  us.  He  told  me  he  had  heard  that  on  our 
return  a  second  time  to  the  lake,  all  the  tribes  except 
the  "Waregga,  who  were  a  bad  people,  had  made 
friends  with  us,  and  he  wanted  also  to  befriends  with 
Bula  Matari.  I  asked  him  if  he  knew  Mlidju  (Emin), 
and  he  said  that  Mlidju,  who  had  come  down  the 
lake  two  months  before  in  his  big  fire-boat,  had 
stopped  at  his  village  for  a  couple  of  hours,  and  had 
given  him  a  large  brass  bangle,  which  he  showed  me, 
as  a  present. 

I  sat  up  till  late,  talking  with  the  natives,  who 
seemed  to  have  made  great  friends  with  ray  Zanzi- 
baris,  and  they  were  laughing  and  talking  together 
half  the  night. 

The  Zanzibaris  travel  with  caravans  through  so 
many  different  countries  that  most  of  them  know 


8 


Emin  Pasha. 


I 


sufficient  of  the  dialects  of  a  great  number  of  the 
tribes  of  Eastern  Central  Africa,  and  they  eke  out 
what  few  words  they  know  with  a  great  many  ex- 
pressive gestures,  so  that  they  are  quite  able  to  make 
themselves  understood  by  the  natives. 

I  was  up  at  4.30,  and  had  ray  breakfast  of  dried 
fish,  and  porridge  made  of  Indian  corn  flour.  At 
5.15  I  ordered  the  boat  to  be  launched,  the  natives 
coming  down  in  great  numbers  to  help  us  to  put  her 
into  the  water.  They  brought  me  a  present  of  some 
chickens,  bananas,  and  several  jars  oi  'pomhe,  or  native 
beer,  obtained  from  a  kind  of  malt  made  with  M'tama 
corn.  They  parted  from  us  with  reiterated  expres- 
sions of  friendship,  and  hoped  that  I  should  have  a 
happy  meeting  with  my  white  brother.  One  was 
struck  afresh  by  the  childlike  simplicity,  good  nature 
and  hospitality  of  these  negroes  who  had  never  seen 
us  before,  and  who  had  absolutely  nothing  to  gain  by 
our  friendship. 

We  now  passed  along  most  beautiful  scenery. 
The  mountains  rose  abruptly  from  the  lake  to  a  height 
of  nearly  three  thousand  feet.  Great  rocks  stand 
out  like  huge  fortifications  into  the  lake,  which  dashes 
against  these  giant  walls  with  a  noise  like  thunder, 
and  sends  up  showers  of  spray.  Fine  trees  are  grow- 
ing in  all  the  slopes  and  crevices  in  the  rocks,  and 
all  the  gullies  are  full  of  trees,  amongst  which  huge 
baboons  and  chimpanzees, vervet  and  colobus  monkeys 
abound.  The  latter  are  black  with  a  fringe  of  long 
white  hair  all  round  them,  and  look  particularly  grace- 
ful as  they  climb  the  rocks  or  leap  from  tree  to  tree. 

Here  and  there  a  fish  eagle  perches  upon  the  trees 
overhanging  the  water,  and  from  time  to  time  utters 


Scenery  of  the  Lake  S/iore. 


9 


its  mournful  cry.  Brilliant  kingfishers,  red,  white, 
and  blue,  dart  about  in  the  sunshine,  looking  like 
great  butterflies.  The  whole  of  the  wooded  shore 
is  teeming  with  life,  and  it  was  perfect  paradise  to 
let  one's  eyes  roam  idly  over  this  lovely  scenery  as 
we  glided  along  in  the  setting  sun. 

Here  and  there  were  cascades  of  clear  cold  water 
leaping  out  from  the  bushes  and  dashing  some  hun- 
dreds of  feet  into  the  lake  below.  Most  of  the  larger 
cascades  had  formed  flat  deltas  of  land,  sometimes  as 
much  as  five  acres  in  extent.  These  extended  into 
the  lake,  and  were  covered  with  short  grass  and 
small  mimosa  bushes.  On  all  these  small  plains 
natives  had  built  their  villages,  and  lived  chiefly  by 
fishing  or  making  salt.  These  little  settlements 
were  very  pretty  and  peaceful-looking,  each  had  its 
flock  of  goats  grazing  on  the  smooth  lawn,  and  was 
surrounded  by  its  grove  of  bright  green  plantains. 
Some  of  the  natives  were  lying  idly  about  among 
their  goats  and  chickens,  smoking  their  pipes  ;  whilst 
others  paddled  about  in  their  tiny  one-man  canoes,  and 
looked  after  and  set  their  fishing  nets.  AVomenwere 
to  be  seen  on  the  lake  shore,  laughing  and  talking  as 
they  cleaned  and  prepared  the  fish  for  curing  in  the 
sun.  Everything  looked  peaceful  and  calm,  and  the 
people  happy  and  contented  ;  they  were  real  little 
arcadias  where  one  might  peacefully  dream  away 
one's  life. 

As  we  neared  each  of  these  settlements,  I  landed 
Katto  on  the  beach,  and  he  ran  in  front  of  us  and 
told  the  villagers  we  were  friends,  and  were  merely 
passing  along  the  lake  to  visit  Mlidju.  The  natives 
therefore  remained  in  their  villages,  and  hailed  us 


JO 


Einin  Pasha 


good-naturedly  as  we  passed,  but  they  were  very 
much  astonished  at  the  iron  boat  with  the  Egyptian 
flag  flying  astern. 

The  sun  was  intensely  hot  on  the  water,  and  it  was 
almost  intolerable  sitting  in  the  boat,  every  steel 
plate  of  which  was  burning  hot.  I  had  unfortunately 
nothing  on  my  head  but  a  cloth  deer-stalker  hat.  I 
got  my  water-bottle  constantly  replenished  from  these 
cool  cascades,  for  though  the  water  of  the  lake  is  as 
clear  as  crystal,  it  is  lukewarm,  and  has  an  unpleasant, 
soft,  soda-like  taste,  and  a  draught  of  it  seems 
neither  to  refresh  nor  to  satisfy  one.  The  men 
declared  it  was  salt,  and  would  not  drink  it,  and 
always  drank  from  the  cascades,  the  water  of  which 
was  cold,  aerated,  and  beautifully  refreshing. 

AVe  passed  numbers  of  huge  baboons  sitting  and 
walking  about  unconcernedly  on  the  beach,  with 
their  tails  aloft  in  the  shape  of  a  crook,  and  their 
sterns  of  a  brilliant  sky-blue  colour.  The  way  they 
hold  their  tails  gives  them  a  most  comical  appearance. 
They  took  not  the  smallest  notice  of  us,  but  just  sat 
and  blinked  at  us  as  if  we  were  an  every-day  sight. 
The  natives,  I  was  told,  hold  them  in  great  fear. 

We  were  all  very  much  amused  by  a  little  incident 
which  happened.  Kibyia,  one  of  m}"  men,  was 
walking  along  the  beach,  keeping  pace  with  the  boat, 
when  suddenly  a  huge  baboon  stalked  out  from 
behind  a  rock,  and  confronted  him  about  five  yards 
off.  He  stopped  short,  and  exclaimed,  "  Hallo, 
what's  your  name  ?  "  and  the  baboon  put  his  head  on 
one  side  and  looked  at  him  as  if  to  ask  him  the  same 
question.  After  gazing  at  each  other  for  a  few 
seconds,  they  determined  not  to  make  the  acquain- 


Large  Baboons. 


tance  any  closer,  and  each  turned  his  back  and  walked 
away  from  the  other. 

I  shot  an  enormous  fellow  who  was  sitting  on  a 
rock  about  eighty  yards  off  ;  he  had  a  splendid  skin, 
and  I  should  have  liked  to  have  got  it,  but  as  the 
lake  was  rough  and  the  shore  rocky,  I  dared  not 
land,  for  the  slightest  touch  on  a  rock  sends  a  hole 
through  the  bottom  of  these  thin  steel  boats. 

In  a  village  belonging  to  a  chief  called  Boganza 
we  picked  up  Mogo.  He  was  one  of  Emin's  Lur 
chiefs,  and  had  brought  down  his  letter  to  Stanley  to 
Xampigua  at  Nyamsassie,  who  had  given  it  over  to 
Kavalli,  who  handed  it  to  Stanley  on  our  arrival  at 
his  village  five  days  before.  He  was  on  his  way  back 
to  Emin,  so  we  took  him  on  with  us  in  the  boat.  He 
was  a  queer-looking,  ragged  fellow,  with  a  very 
good-natured  face,  huge  ears,  thick  lips  and  flattened 
nose.  A  bright  red  handkerchief  was  round  his 
head,  a  big  necklace  of  opal-coloured  beads  encircled 
his  neck,  and  an  enormous  brass  bracelet  was  on  his 
wrist,  these  ornaments  being  presents,  he  told  me, 
which  Emin  had  given  him.  A  girdle  of  large  iron 
beads  of  native  make  held  together  his  dirty,  ragged 
clothes  of  goat-skins,  and  his  long  matted  hair  was 
fantastically  plaited  up  and  drenched  with  oil.  A 
bow,  basket-work  quiver  of  arrows,  pipe  and  crooked 
walking-stick,  all  huge  of  their  kind,  completed  his 
get  up.  He  was  eminently  "  a  thing  of  shreds  and 
patches."  He  brought  with  him  sundry  packets  of 
salt  and  tobacco,  and  several  large  jars  of  pombe, 
which  my  men  very  soon  finished  for  him. 

"We  camped  that  evening  at  5.30  at  Magunga,  one 
of  the  villages  such  as  I  have  described,  and  from  it 


12 


Emin  Pasha. 


we  could  see  Emin's  station  some  twelve  miles  off 
with  smoke  rising  in  clouds  from  the  fields  about  the 
station  where  natives  were  burning  weeds. 

The  chief's  son, 
Kajalf,  came  down 
to  receive  us  on 
the  beach,  he  was 
a  particularly  nice- 
looking  young  fel- 
low, and  was  fol- 
lowed by  several 
natives  bring-inof 
me,  as  presents, 
large  bunches  of 
bananas  and 
strings  of  dried 
fish;  he  also 
brought  two  goats 
which  I  handed 
over  to  my  Zanzi- 
baris.  He  was 
anxious  that  I 
should  go  up  and 
sleep  in  his  village, 
but  I  preferred  to 
camp  out  in  the 
open  in  order  to 
be  near  the  boat ; 
moreover,  the  huts  were  horribly  stuffy  and  were 
swarming  with  vermin.  From  him  I  learned  that  he 
was  very  good  friends  with  Emin,  and  often  made  trips 
to  the  station,  the  name  of  which  he  told  me  was 
M'swa.  Emin  had  often, he  said,  protected  him  against 


CHIEF  MOGO. 


Chief  Mogo. 


'3 


Melindwa,  a  poAverful  chief  whose  country  adjoined 
his,  and  he  believed  Emin  himself  was  now  at  M'swa. 
On  one  side  of  the  village  Avas  a  large  sandy  flat, 
through  which  the  water  from  a  cascade  in  the 
mountain-side  ran  and  found  its  way  to  the  lake,  in 
a  stream  large  enough  to  turn  a  Avater  mill.  By  the 
side  of  this  stream  we  camped,  and  the  Zanzibaris 
killed  the  tAvo  goats  and  made  ready  for  a  big  feast. 

After  dinner  I  had  my  chair  brought  down  to  the 
beach,  where  a  narrow  strip  of  sand  ran  out  into  the 
lake.  Here  I  sat  down  AA'ith  the  waA^es  lapping  up 
the  shore,  and  the  Nyanza  lying  in  the  bright  moon- 
light like  a  silver  carpet  at  my  feet.  I  sat  there 
smoking  my  pipe  with  the  cool  breeze  of  the  Nyanza 
playing  round  me,  and  the  voices  and  laughter  of  my 
men  reaching  me  faintly  across  the  water.  What 
would  to-morrow  bring  forth  ?  Here  I  was  within 
sight  of  the  goal  which  w^e  had  been  struggling  and 
fighting  to  reach  for  the  last  fifteen  months.  To- 
morrow I  should  probably  see  the  man  of  whom  all 
the  civilized  world  had  been  talking,  and  to  whom  I, 
the  humble  emissary  of  our  great  leader,  was  bearing 
tidings  of  encouragement  and  relief  at  last.  But  the 
feelings  of  triumph  which  rose  in  one's  mind  were 
saddened  as  one  thought  of  the  trials  our  people  had 
gone  through,  and  of  the  hard  deaths  of  so  many  of 
our  faithful  men. 

"\Ye  started  off  at  6.30  with  the  Egyptian  flag 
flying  at  the  masthead,  and  I  improvised  a  sail  out 
of  one  of  my  blankets  as  there  was  a  fair  wind. 
The  men  pulled  like  madmen,  and  we  flew  along 
before  the  wind  and  reached  IM'sAA^a  at  a  little  before 
nine  o'clock.    A  guard  of  honour  A\'as  draAA'n  up  on  the 


14 


Einin  Pasha. 


beach  to  receive  me,  and  a  grand  salute  of  guns  v;as 
fired,  and  then  with  flags  flying  and  trumpets  play- 
ing the  Khedevial  Hymn,  I  was  escorted  up  to  the 
station  which  stood  on  the  top  of  a  low  flat  hill 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  lake. 

Here  I  learnt,  to  my  great  disappointment,  that 
Emin  was  at  Tunguru,  a  day's  journey  distant.  I 
would  have  gone  on  in  the  boat  there,  but  Shukri 
Aga,  the  chief  of  the  station,  told  me  he  had  heard 
from  the  natives  last  night,  that  a  white  man  was 
on  his  way  up  the  lake  in  a  boat,  and  he  had  sent 
messengers  early  in  the  morning  to  Emin  to  tell  him 
the  news.  He  said  Emin  would  come  down  at  once 
in  his  steamer,  and  would  be  here  by  midday  the 
next  day,  in  which  case  I  considered  it  best  to  stay 
where  I  was,  as  I  might  miss  him  on  the  way  if  I 
went  on  in  the  boat. 

The  station  was  made  entirely  of  bamboo  and 
grass,  and  was  exquisitely  clean  and  neat,  and  all 
the  huts  were  airy  and  cool.  The  chief  of  the  station, 
Shukri  Aga,  was  dressed  in  a  long  blue  uniform 
tunic  with  enormous  gold  naval  epaulettes,  cherry- 
coloured  trousers,  high-heeled  French  boots,  large 
sword,  and  fez.  The  soldiers  had  a  sort  of  loose 
uniform  of  the  cotton  cloth  which  is  made  in  the 
Province,  and  like  that  which  is  made  in  the  Xorthern 
Soudan,  cartridge  belts  of  leopard  skin  or  half-tanned 
leather,  white  knitted  tabooslies,  and  country-made 
slippers,  and  nearly  all  were  armed  with  Eemingtons. 

The  whole  people  turned  out  tn  masse  to  welcome 
me  and  kiss  my  hands — a  horrible  custom,  and  one 
from  which  I  suffered  much  during  my  stay  in  the 
Pasha's  Province. 


Arrival  at  Mswa. 


•5 


T  was  taken  into  a  large  barazan,  or  receiving- 
room,  built  of  bamboo.  There  "was  a  couch  with  a 
Turkish,  carpet  on  it,  and  pillows  for  me  to  recline 
on,  and  chairs  were  placed  near  it  for  the  officers 
and  chief  people  of  the  station,  all  the  rest  of  the 
people  stood  in  the  background  or  crowded  in  the 
doorways.  My  Zanzibaris,  who  had  been  well 
embraced  by  all  the  people  and  hailed  as  deliverers 
and  brothers,  were  accommodated  with  a  mat  and  sat 
behind  me. 

A  gourd  full  of  snowy  curds  was  brought  in  for 
me,  and  large  jars  of  M'tama  beer  were  given  to  my 
men.  AYe  then  had  a  long  talk,  for  the  people  all 
wanted  to  know  about  us,  and  as  I  sat  and  re- 
counted, as  simply  as  I  could,  the  story  of  our 
wanderings  in  the  forest,  loud  exclamations  of 
wonder  and  pity  were  heard  all  round,  and  the 
greatest  excitement  prevailed.  They  told  me  Emin 
was  well  and  in  no  difficulties,  he  had  been  expecting 
us  for  a  long  time,  and  had  built  this  station  when 
he  heard  that  he  should  look  for  us  at  the  south-west 
corner  of  the  lake,  in  order  to  have  a  station  near  us. 

I  then  wrote  a  hasty  note  in  pencil,  and  despatched 
it  by  two  friendly  natives,  who  promised  to  start  off 
at  once  in  a  canoe  and  hand  it  to  Emin. 

The  people  all  looked  so  smart  and  clean  in  their 
costumes  of  snowy  white  or  brown  cotton  cloth,  such 
a  contrast  to  us,  the  relief  party,  who  had  arrived 
in  rags  and  dirt,  and  who  looked  in  far  greater  need 
of  relief  than  they.  My  Zanzibaris  had  only  pieces 
of  skin  and  scraps  of  native  bark  cloth,  and  in  such 
very  scanty  quantities  as  hardh'  to  render  them 
decent. 


i6 


Emin  Pasha. 


I  was  dressed  in  a  torn  and  patched  suit,  Avhicli  I 
had  made  out  of  an  old  checked  flannel  set  of 
pyjamas,  an  old  flannel  shirt — the  only  one  I 
possessed — and  my  feet  were  shod  in  a  pair  of  shoes, 
also  manufactured  by  myself,  out  of  the  raw  skin  of 
a  black-and-white-spotted  cow  with  the  hair  left  on. 

When  I  had  finished  talking  I  was  shown  into  a 
large  hut,  made  of  bamboo,  about  twenty-eight  feet 
square,  beautifully  lofty  and  cool. 

They  brought  me  an  enormous  omelette,  some 
delicious  bread,  and  a  great  bowl  of  milk  for  my 
mid-day  meal. 

How  delightful  it  was  to  sit  and  eat  this  good  food 
after  being  without  a  decent  meal  for  so  long  !  I 
ate  quantities  of  bread  and  drank  great  draughts  of 
milk,  and  felt  quite  sorry  when  I  could  eat  no  more. 

Not  having  slept  much  for  the  last  three  or  four 
nights,  owing  to  the  anxiety  I  had  felt,  I  lay  down 
on  an  angarep  (bed)  and  slept  for  four  hours. 

I  was  awakened  by  a  servant  bringing  in  a  large 
round  iron  sponge  bath  full  of  warm  water,  a  round 
piece  of  soap,  which  was  manufactured  by  Emin's 
people  in  the  Province,  and  an  Egyptian  loofa. 
I  had  not  ordered  the  bath,  but  they  evidently  saw 
how  dirty  I  was,  and  so,  I  suppose,  thought  it  would 
be  acceptable. 

It  may  be  imagined  how  delightful  it  was  to  have 
a  good  scrub  after  having  been  for  five  months 
without  soap,  and  now  for  the  first  time  since  I  had 
left  Yambuya  I  felt  really  clean. 

With  what  loathing  and  disgust  one  put  on  one's 
dirty  old  clothes  again  !  They  had  been  patched,  and 
washed,  and  worn  till  they  were  quite  threadbare. 


Receptio7i  at  Mswa, 


17 


A  servant,  dressed  in  clean  white  cotton  cloth, 
brought  in  my  "  luggage,"  and  placed  it  respectfully 
on  a  stool.  It  consisted  of  an  old  tent  bag,  in  which 
there  were  some  boots  manufactured  by  myself,  my 
journal,  a  couple  of  pairs  of  very  holey  stockings, 
and  two  blankets  ;  also  an  old  basket  containing  a 
leg  of  goat  wrapped  in  green  leaves,  a  kettle,  two 
plates,  a  knife  and  fork,  and  some  very  black  and 
disreputable-looking  cooking  pots.  When  my  very 
dirty-looking  worldly  possessions  were  brought  in  by 
this  clean  well-dressed  person,  I  felt  that  I  visibly 
blushed. 

In  the  evening  a  big  deputation  of  people  came  to 
see  me  in  my  house,  mats  were  placed  on  the  ground 
outside,  and  they  all  squatted  down  and  talked. 
Shukri  Aga  told  me  that  five  months  before  Emin 
had  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  Holmwood,  the  acting 
Consul-General  at  Zanzibar,  telling  him  that  Stanley 
was  coming  to  bring  him  relief,  and  that  he  must 
expect  him  about  the  end  of  September  at  the  south- 
west corner  of  the  lake,  as  Stanley  was  going  to  open 
a  route  via  the  Congo.  Since  then  he  had  been  most 
anxious  about  our  non-arrival.  One  fellow  said, 
"  The  Pasha  won't  sleep  much  to-night  when  he 
hears  you  are  here." 

If  Emin  heard  we  were  coming  so  long  ago  as 
that,  and  that  we  should  probably  arrive  at  the 
south-west  corner  of  the  lake,  I  cannot  understand 
how  it  was  that  he  took  no  steps  to  smooth  the 
way  for  us.  It  would  have  been  such  a  simple  thing 
for  him  to  go  down  in  one  of  his  steamers  to  the 
south  end  of  the  lake  and  make  friends  with  the 
natives,  tell  them  we  were  coming,  and  leave  a  letter 


i8 


Emin  Pasha. 


for  Stanley  in  the  hands  of  some  friendly  chief, 
telling  him  of  his  whereabouts  and  how  we  could 
best  reach  him.  Or  he  might  have  told  the  natives 
to  tell  Stanley  to  stop  where  he  was  on  his  arrival, 
and  get  the  chief  to  send  some  of  his  people  to 
M'swa  with  the  news. 

This  would  have  saved  us  over  four  months  of 
hard  work  and  disappointment,  for  we  had  to  carry 
all  the  ammunition  we  were  bringing  for  him  back 
into  the  forest  and  place  it  in  a  fort  which  we  were 
obliged  to  build. 

Nelson  and  Parke  might  have  moved  up  to  his 
Province,  and  this  constant  going  backwards  and 
forwards  with  our  tired  and  worn-out  men  might 
have  been  avoided,  to  say  nothing  of  the  lives  we 
lost  on  these  journeys. 

As  events  turned  out,  poor  Barttelot's  assassination 
and  Jameson's  sad  death  might  have  been  avoided 
had  Emin  acted  with  simple  common  sense. 

It  was  not  apparently  till  after  he  had  heard  from 
the  natives  that  we  had  actually  arrived  at  the  lake 
and  turned  back,  that  he  took  any  steps  to  help  us. 
Moreover,  it  had  been  Stanley's  intention  on  our 
arrival  at  the  lake  the  first  time,  had  he  been  able 
to  get  a  canoe,  to  send  me  round  the  lake  to  Kibero, 
to  ask  Captain  Casati,  who  was  living  there,  to 
accompany  me  to  Wadelai.  Had  this  been  done,  the 
crew  of  the  canoe  and  I  would  have  probably  fallen 
into  Kaba-regga's  hands,  all  for  the  want  of  a  word 
of  warning  from  Emin. 

Shukri  Aga  told  me  of  many  atrocities  Kaba-regga, 
king  of  Unyoro,  had  committed,  and  how  he  had 
expelled  Captain  Casati. 


Emm's  unaccotiniable  inaction.  19 


It  appears  Casati  did  not  get  on  well  with 
Kaba-regga,  and  the  Arabs  had  doubtless  helped  to 
widen  the  breach  between  them,  until  it  culminated 
in  an  outrage  which  might  have  cost  Casati  his  life. 
One  morning  Kaba-regga's  people  came  into  Casati' s 
house,  seized  him  and  tied  him  up  to  a  tree.  After 
having  completely  looted  his  house,  they  loosed  him  and 
turned  him  adrift  almost  naked.  Orders  were  given 
to  the  natives  to  give  him  no  food,  and  to  have 
nothing  whatever  to  do  with  him.  This  news  had 
been  brought  to  Emin  by  a  native,  and  he  had  gone 
over  immediately  in  his  steamer  to  the  Unyoro  side 
of  the  lake.  On  cruising  down  the  shore,  he  had 
seen  a  white  garment  being  waved  as  a  signal  at  the 
end  of  a  pole,  and  went  off  in  the  steamer's  boat  to 
see  what  it  was.  Here  he  found  Casati,  who  had 
been  hiding  in  the  grass  for  three  days  with  hardh'^ 
a  crust  to  eat.  He  was  in  a  most  deplorable  state, 
and  had  on  only  a  shirt  and  tattered  pair  of  trousers. 
I  was  told  Casati  was  now  with  Emin  at  Tunguru. 

After  breakfast  next  morning  a  good  many  people 
came  in  to  see  me,  and  a  large  number  of  native 
chiefs  from  the  countries  round  came  in  to  greet  me, 
and  stare  at  the  new  white  man  who  had  just  come 
into  the  country.  They  were  all  very  anxious  to 
hear  where  we  had  come  from,  and  to  learn  some- 
thing about  the  great  dark  forest  into  which  none  of 
their  people  had  ever  penetrated,  but  about  which 
they  had  ever  heard  rumours  of  perpetual  twilight, 
and  of  savage  and  treacherous  people.  In  the  after- 
noon I  went  to  see  my  men,  and  found  them  comfort- 
ably lodged  in  a  boma  with  five  or  six  huts  in  it, 
which  they  had  all  to  themselves.    They  welcomed 

c  2 


1 


20  Emin  Pasha. 

me  clamorously,  and  told  me  how  well  they  had  been 
treated.  Each  man  had  had  a  new  cow-hide  given 
him  to  sleep  upon,  a  bullock  had  been  killed  for  them, 
and  numerous  dainties  in  the  shape  of  butter,  milk 
and  flour  had  been  supplied.  But  what  seemed  to 
strike  them  most  was  the  fact  that  once  more  they 
had  their  food  cooked  for  them  by  women,  which  to 
them,  after  the  hardships  they  had  gone  through, 
seemed  to  be  the  height  of  luxury.  Uledi  said  to  me, 
"  Master,  we  have  only  to  eat,  drink,  sleep,  and 
smoke,  and  you  know  that  is  paradise  to  a  Zanzibari." 

I  wrote  a  letter  to  Stanley,  telling  him  T  had  reached 
Emin's  station,  but  as  he  was  away  there  would  be  a 
delay,  so  he  must  not  be  anxious  about  us.  This  I 
sent  by  some  friendly  natives  who  promised  to  take 
it  down  the  lake  in  a  canoe,  and  deliver  it  into 
Stanley's  hands  in  four  days. 

Next  morning  an  Eg^q^tian  officer  called  Suliman 
Effendi  arrived,  and  handed  me  a  letter  from  Emin, 
which  AA'as  as  follows  : — 

"  Tunguru,  24^/i  Airril,  1888. 

"  Dear  Sir, — Your  letter  of  yesterday  reached  here 
this  night.  Be  heartily  welcome  amongst  us  ;  we 
have  waited  for  you  many  a  long  day.  I  proposed 
to  start  at  once  to  rejoin  you  at  M'swa  ;  the  steamer 
having  gone,  however,  to  fetch  some  corn,  and  the 
people  being  busy  with  their  fields,  I  must  neces- 
sarily delay  until  the  steamer  returns.  I  have  sent  for 
and  expect  her  to-morrow.  It  goes  without  saying 
that  at  her  arrival  I  start. 

"  I  have  given  orders  to  my  men  to  provide  for 
all  your  needs,  and  those  of  your  men  ;  please  there- 


1 


Letter  fro77i  Emin. 


21 


fore  to  acquaint  Sliukri  Aga,  the  officer  in  charge  of 
the  station,  with  jour  wants.    Suliman  Effendi,  the 
bearer  of  this,  has  to  stay  with  you  until  my  arrival. 
"  Hoping  to  see  you  very  soon, 

"  I  am,  3'ours  ver}'  faithfully, 

"  De.  Emin." 

Suliman  Effendi,  a  nice-looking  Egyptian,  was 
dressed  in  a  spotless  white  uniform,  he  spoke  a  little 
French,  but  only  of  the  feeblest  kind.  He  sat  and 
talked  with  me  some  time,  and  told  me  of  the 
state  of  excitement  into  which  the  Pasha  and  all  the 
station  had  been  thrown  on  receipt  of  the  news  that 
the  long-looked-for  help  had  at  last  arrived.  He 
paid  me  a  great  many  comjjliments,  sajdng  he  put 
his  neck  beneath  my  feet,  and  I  only  had  to  command 
him,  and  so  on,  the  usual  Oriental  style  of  compli- 
ments. In  the  evening  I  walked  round  the  place  with 
him  and  Shukri  Aga,  who  showed  me  all  there  was 
to  be  seen. 

The  station  was  beautifully  situated,  and,  if  held  by 
determined  men,  Avould  be  perfectly  impregnable  to 
the  attacks  of  natives,  armed  only  with  boAvs  and 
spears,  but  an  enemy  armed  with  guns  would  com- 
mand it  from  the  hills  above. 

The  mountains  here,  which  are  some  2500  feet  high, 
form  a  kind  of  amphitheatre,  in  the  bend  of  which  is 
a  large  fertile  plain  some  5000  or  6000  acres  in  ex- 
tent and  nearly  on  a  level  with  the  lake.  From 
the  middle  of  this  plain  rises  a  large  mound  about 
300  feet  high,  on  the  flattened  summit  of  which  the 
station  was  built.  This  plain,  which  is  watered  by  a 
fine  large  stream  falling  from  the  mountains  in  a 


22 


Emin  Pasha. 


large  cascade,  is  very  densely  populated,  and  com- 
prises one  of  the  largest  settlements  of  the  Lur 
tribe.  Large  villages,  with  immense  flocks  of  sheep 
and  goats,  were  to  be  seen  from  the  station  dotted  all 
over  the  plain,  every  acre  almost  of  which  was  under 
cultivation.  Large  fields  of  m'tama,  Indian  corn, 
sweet  potatoes,  and  ground  nuts,  mingled  with  groves 
of  bananas,  surrounded  the  villages.  Immediately 
below  the  station  were  the  cultivations  of  the  soldiers 
and  Government  officials,  which  consisted  chiefly  of 
patches  of  cotton,  Indian  corn,  m'tama,  millet,  sessam, 
balmias,  Kolokasias  and  vegetables  of  different 
kinds. 

The  station  was  built  in  two  separate  blocks,  one 
containing  Emin's  compound,  divan,  and  strangers' 
houses,  the  other  consisting  of  the  soldiers'  and 
officials'  quarters.  Each  family  had  a  small  com- 
pound to  itself,  in  which  there  were  three, 
four,  or  more  huts,  according  to  the  size  of  the 
household.  Between  the  two  blocks  was  a  large 
parade  ground,  in  the  middle  of  which  were  the  Go- 
vernment store  houses,  and  a  high  staff  from  which 
flew  the  Egyptian  flag.  The  entire  station,  bomas 
and  huts,  was  built  of  bright  yellow  bamboo,  in  some 
cases  plastered  over  with  a  mixture  of  mud  and  cow 
dung,  and  the  houses  were  thatched  with  grass. 

On  the  grass  land  between  the  station  and  the 
mountains  was  a  large  kraal  containing  some  hun- 
dreds of  cattle,  sheep  and  goats.  There  was  evidence 
of  abundance  of  food  of  all  sorts. 

I  saw  numbers  of  women,  boys,  and  even  soldiers 
walking  or  standing  about  the  station  carrying  large 
bunches  of  raw  cotton  under  their  left  arms,  from 


Description  of  Mswa  Station. 


23 


which  they  spun  thread  by  rapidly  twisting  a  little 
crooked  distaff.  "When  a  number  of  bobbins  of 
cotton  thread  were  finished  they  were  stretched  in 
lengths  along  posts  like  miniature  rope-walks,  and 
were  then  ready  for  weaving. 

They  took  me  into  a  large  open  hut,  at  one  side  of 
which  a  trench  had  been  dug,  and  an  exceedingly 
primitive  spindle  was  fitted  into  it,  which  was  worked 
by  an  intelligent  looking  negro  lad.  Several  quali- 
ties of  cotton  cloth  were  made  here,  some  remarkably 
fine  for  the  women's  clothes,  and  some  of  a  coarser 
description  for  the  men's  tunics  and  loose  Turkish 
trousers.  The  men's  clothes  were  usually  dyed  a 
warm  reddish  brown  colour,  from  a  solution  made  by 
soaking  the  bruised  bark  of  a  wild  fig-tree  in  water. 
These  fig-trees  grow  in  great  numbers  all  through  the 
entire  country.  The  cloth  had  a  slightly  fluffy  ap- 
pearance, it  was  almost  as  warm  as  flannel  and  was 
wonderfully  strong  and  serviceable. 

On  April  26th,  at  about  five  o'clock  in  the  evening, 
Emin's  steamer  came  in  sight.  She  was  just  rounding 
a  rocky  headland  about  five  miles  off  when  I  first 
saw  her. 

The  soldiers  all  turned  out,  and  the  ofiicers  put  on 
their  best  uniforms  to  receive  their  governor ;  the 
little  cannon  belonging  to  the  station  being  got  ready 
to  give  him  a  salute.  I  walked  down  from  the  station 
to  the  beach,  followed  by  my  boat's  crew,  carrying 
our  big  Egyptian  flag,  there  to  await  Emin's  landing. 
It  was  almost  dark  before  the  steamer  dropped 
anchor,  my  men  firing  a  salute  as  the  boat  neared 
the  shore.  As  soon  as  the  boat  touched  the  strand, 
Emin  leaped  ashore  and  welcomed  me  with  both 


i 


24 


Emin  Pasha. 


hands.  Again  and  again  he  repeated  words  of 
welcome  and  cordial  greeting  as  he  held  both  my 
hands  in  his.  I  should  not  have  recognized  him  from 
the  picture  and  description  Dr.  Felkin  had  given  of 
him.  Instead  of  the  "tall  man,  of  a  military  appear- 
ance," I  saw  a  small,  wiry,  neat,  but  most  unmilitary- 
looking  man,  with  unmistakable  German  politeness  of 
manner. 

He  spoke  English  with  much  ease  and  fluency,  and 
expressed  himself  with  great  sympathy  and  kindness. 
He  was  followed  by  Captain  Casati,  a  short,  middle- 
aged  man,  burnt  almost  black  from  exposure  to  the 
sun.  He  did  not  understand  English,  but  could  talk 
a  little  French. 

When  the  greetings  were  over,  Emin  put  his  hand 
on  my  shoulder  in  a  fatherly  manner,  and  we  walked 
up  to  the  station  together,  followed  by  all  the  officials. 
We  sat  outside  talking  in  the  bright  moonlight,  and 
it  was  late  before  Emin  retired  to  read  the  letter  I 
had  brought  him  from  Stanley.  He  told  me  we  could 
not  start  for  the  south  end  of  the  lake  for  two  davs, 
as  it  would  take  the  whole  day  to  collect  wood  for  the 
steamer. 

Early  in  the  morning  some  delicious  strong  coffee, 
sweetened  with  honey,  was  brought  me  in  a  little 
dainty  Turkish  cup.  Before  I  had  finished  dressing, 
Emin  came  into  my  hut,  and  sat  on  my  bed  talking 
to  me  as  I  dressed.  We  then  went  out  and  sat  in 
the  cool  divan,  and  I  brought  out  my  maps  and 
showed  him  our  route  up  the  river.  He  was  much 
struck  by  the  position  of  the  Nepoko  River,  and  the 
point  where  it  falls  into  the  Aruwimi.  He  had  heard 
a  good  deal  about  it  from  Dr.  Junker,  who  I  believe 


PORTRAIT  OK  EM IX  PASHA. 


Paire  24. 


First  meeting  "with  Emin. 


25 


had  not  quite  decided  to  which  watershed  it 
belonged. 

He  knew  the  Monbuttu  country  very  well,  and  the 
place  where  Dr.  Junker  had  crossed  the  Nepoko, 
some  120  geographical  miles  distant  from  the  point 
where  it  fell  into  the  Aruwimi.  He  seemed  to  think 
that  this  would  be  an  excellent  route  by  which  to 
transport  his  people,  and  ivory  down  to  the  Congo  in 
canoes.  I  pointed  out  to  him  the  immense  difficulties 
of  such  a  route,  the  numberless  rapids  and  cataracts 
in  the  river,  and  the  starvation  he  would  experience 
on  the  road.  But  of  course,  I  said,  Stanley  would  be 
able  to  tell  him  the  pros  and  cons  of  such  a  route 
better  than  I. 

I  handed  over  to  him  a  sheet  of  the  Graphic  news- 
paper containing  an  account  of  him  and  his  work  by 
Dr.  Felkin,  and  numerous  illustrations  of  people  and 
scenes  in  his  Province. 

All  my  men  came  up  to  pay  their  respects  to  him. 
He  thanked  them  for  all  they  had  done  for  him  and 
his  people,  and  promised  to  give  them  some  cloth  to 
cover  their  nakedness.  I  pointed  out  Uledi  and 
Murabo  to  him,  both  of  whom  he  knew  by  name, 
having  read  about  them  in  Stanley's  book  "  Through 
the  Dark  Continent."  Of  course  they  were  delighted 
at  the  idea  of  getting  cloth — poor  fellows,  they  did 
indeed  look  shabby.  He  handed  them  over  to  Vita 
Hassan,  a  Tunisian  Jew,  who  had  been  sent  up  to  the 
Equatorial  Province  eight  years  previously  as  apothe- 
cary and  assistant  to  Emin,  he  now  acted  also  as 
storekeeper  and  general  helper,  and  was  most  useful. 
Emin  spoke  very  highly  of  him.  After  breakfast, 
the  Pasha  produced  a  cigar,  which  Dr.  Junker  had 


26 


Emin  Pasha. 


given  him  three  years  before.  This  will  convey  some 
idea  of  the  careful  way  in  which  Emin  preserved 
everything.  He  told  me  he  had  kept  it  all  this  time 
in  case  of  a  festival.  It  was  a  great  treat  to  me  after 
being  accustomed  only  to  native  tobacco  for  so  many 
months. 

Seeing  my  tattered  state,  clothes  were  brought  to 
me  by  Emin's  orders,  two  coats  and  a  pair  of  trousers 
made  of  cotton  cloth.  The  native  tailor — an  Egyptian 
Avho  had  been  transported  to  Emin's  Province  for 
highway  robbery — took  my  measure  for  knicker- 
bockers, and  the  shoemaker  was  called  in  to  measure 
me  for  shoes.  A  quantity  of  red  Manchester  cloth 
was  also  given  to  my  servant  to  put  in  my  hut. 

Emin  then  took  out  his  note-book,  which,  like  every- 
thing he  had,  was  a  pattern  of  neatness,  and  insisted 
on  my  telling  him  of  my  wants.  With  a  good  deal 
of  hesitation  and  some  sh}Tiess  at  begging  in  this 
wholesale  manner,  I  told  him  some  salt,  soap,  a 
note-book,  and  a  little  oil  would  be  most  acceptable, 
all  of  which  things  he  wrote  down,  grumbling  all  the 
time  at  the  smallness  of  my  demands.  He  enumer- 
ated several  things  he  could  give  me,  and  seemed  to 
take  the  greatest  pleasure  in  being  able  to  give  them. 
His  kindness  was  overwhelming,  and  evidently 
thoroughly  genuine.  It  was  such  a  pleasure  to  me 
to  get  some  one  quite  new  to  talk  to,  especially  such 
a  clever,  intelligent  man,  whose  conversation  must  at 
all  times  be  deeply  interesting. 

Emin  asked  me  to  tell  him  the  origin  of  the  Expedi- 
tion, who  were  its  promoters,  how  it  was  got  up,  and 
all  about  the  officers. 

I  told  him  about  it,  and  the  widespread  feeling 


Etttin's  kindness. 


27 


of  interest  which  existed,  not  only  in  England  but 
all  over  Europe,  concerning  his  welfare  and  safety. 
The  tears  started  to  his  eyes,  and  grasping  my  hand, 
he  said,  "  Hoav  can  you  thank  me  for  the  fcAV  things 
I  can  give  you,  and  be  shy  about  taking  them  ?  If  I 
lived  for  a  hundred  3'ears  I  could  not  thank  the 
English  people  enough  for  their  disinterested  kind- 
ness in  sending  me  help,  when  I  have  been  abandoned 
by  my  own  Government  for  so  many  years." 

Emin  told  me  he  had  received  a  short  letter  from 
Mr.  Holmwood,  the  acting  Consul-General  at  Zanzi- 
bar. It  was  dated  February  7th,  1887,  and  told  him 
that  an  Expedition  under  Stanley,  for  his  relief,  was 
starting  by  the  Congo  route  some  time  in  March, 
and  that  he  was  expecting  Stanley  to  arrive  in 
Zanzibar  on  his  way  to  the  Congo  in  a  fortnight's 
time.  He  should  look  for  him  some  time  in  Septem- 
ber, at  the  south-west  corner  of  the  lake.  The  two 
letters  written  by  Stanley  and  Holmwood  at  the  end 
of  February,  which  had  been  despatched  by  special 
couriers,  via  Uganda,  to  Emin,  had  not  reached  him. 

They  were  probably  still  in  Uganda,  for  Emin  told 
me  there  were  several  loads  of  letters,  etc.,  waiting  for 
us  there.  Mwanga,  the  King  of  Uganda,  forwarded 
them,  but  they  were  stopped  on  the  frontier  of  Un- 
yoro  by  Kaba-regga's  orders,  and  were  returned  to 
Uganda. 


CHAPTER  II. 


MEETING  OF  STANLEY  AND   EMIN — PLANS  DISCUSSED. 

Steamer  Khedive — Her  condition — Emin  arrives  in  our  camp — Re- 
ception by  tiie  Zanzibaiis — Our  camp  at  N'.sabe — Emin  wishes 
Stanley  to  leave  one  of  his  officers — Plan  made  for  relieving 
Fort  Bodo — Stanley  and  Parke  start  on  return  journey — Death 
of  jNlabruki — Emin's  love  of  entomology — Attack  on  Kibero 
—  Kaba-regga's  punishment — Chief  Oama — Chief  Oumi's  visit 
— Lur  dance — Smells  peculiar  to  different  tribes — We  arrive  at 
Tunguru — Kapid  falling  of  Lake  Albert — Intriguing  of  Egyptian 
clerks — Punishment  of  Intriguers — Story  of  the  mutiny  of  1st 
Battalion  —  Cliaracter  of  E:nin's  officers — Khedive's  letter — 
Nubar  Pasha's  letter — Stanley's  address  to  Emin's  soldiers — 
Letters  read  to  the  people — "  We  will  follow  our  Governor  !  "— 
The  i^eople's  natural  desire  to  remain  in  Province — From  Tun- 
guru to  Wadelai-Boki's  village — Boki's  imprisonment— Descnp- 
tion  of  country — L^wness  of  Kile — Chief  Okello — Native 
ornam;nts — Chief  Walelai. 

On  April  29th,  at  eight  o'clock,  Ave  started  off  in 
the  steamer  Khedive  which  was  like  a  small  farm- 
yard, for  there  were  on  board  numbers  of  cattle, 
milch  cows,  goats,  sheep,  and  chickens,  whilst  the 
hold  was  filled  Avith  grain  for  our  people.  These 
were  the  stores  Avhich  Stanley  had  asked  Emin  to 
bring  him  to  enable  him  to  camp  on  the  lake  shore 
Avhere  food  Avas  scarce. 

The  Khedive  was  one  of  the  steamers  brought  up  by 
Sir  Samuel  Baker  when  he  Avas  annexinar  the 
Province  in  1870,  for  the  KhediA^e,  Ismail  Pasha. 
She  was  built  by  Samuda  and  was  still  a  fine  strong 
boat,  some  eighty-fiA'e  feet  long,  AA^th  a  beam  of 


Meeting  of  Stanley  and  Eniin. 


29 


eighteen  feet.  It  was  wonderful  that  she  should  be  in 
such  good  order,  it  spoke  well  for  Emin's  careful- 
ness in  keeping  her  in  such  repair.  Her  boilers  were, 
however,  getting  somewhat  weak,  though  her 
engines  were  still  good,  and  Emin  dared  not  press  her 
to  sro  more  than  five  knots  an  hour.  He  had  besides 
this  another  small  steamer,  the  Nyanza,  and  two 
large  iron  whale  boats,  all  of  which  were  brought  up 
bv  Sir  Samuel  Baker.  He  told  me  that  these 
steamers  and  boats  had  been  of  the  greatest  use  to 
him  and  had  helped  him  materially  to  hold  out  in 
his  Province  so  long. 

^Ve  reached  our  anchorage  near  Nyamsassie 
Island,  opposite  the  place  where  I  had  put  the  boat 
together,  at  about  seven  o'clock.  AVe  found  Stanley 
had  marched  down  to  the  lake  that  day  from 
Kavalli's,  and  was  encamped  about  three  miles  down 
the  shore,  a  little  way  inland.  Late  as  it  was,  Emin 
decided  to  go  and  see  Stanley  that  night.  Numbers 
of  our  Zanzibaris  came  rushing  down  to  the  shore, 
carrying  torches  made  of  dry  grass,  firing  their  guns 
into  the  air,  and  shouting  in  the  maddest  manner. 
As  Ave  landed  from  the  boat,  we  were  met  by  Dr. 
Parke,  who  came  down  to  the  shore  to  meet  Emin, 
and  conduct  him  and  Casati  to  the  camp.  The 
Zanzibaris  were  wild  with  excitement,  and  in  their 
anxiety  to  help  him  across  the  broken  ground  near 
the  shore  fairly  lifted  him  off  his  legs.  He  was 
conducted  into  our  camp  amid  the  triumphant  shouts 
of  all  our  people.  Stanley  received  him  with  great 
warmth  and  courtesy,  and  we  were  soon  all  seated  in 
front  of  his  tent  discussing  the  contents  of  five 
bottles  of  champagne,  which  Stanley  produced  out 


3^ 


Em  in  Pasha. 


of  an  old  pair  of  stockings,  having  carefully  saved 
them  for  this  great  occasion. 

The  scene  in  camp  was  picturesque  and  impressive 
then  in  the  extreme.  Huge  fires  had  been  made,  which 
lit  up  the  branches  of  the  overhanging  trees  with  a 
lurid  glare,  beneath  which  the  Zanzibaris  were 
madly  dancing,  and  singing  one  of  their  forest  songs 
relating  to  the  story  of  our  wanderings  and  privations 
and  of  the  meeting  of  Stanley  and  Emin. 

Late  that  night  Emin  returned  to  the  steamer, 
carrying  with  him  the  packets  of  letters  we  had 
brought  him. 

Next  day,  Stanley  ordered  me  to  march  the 
column  along  the  lake  shore,  and  choose  a  good 
place  for  a  camp,  as  he  had  promised  Emin  to  stay 
with  him  there  some  days,  before  returning  to  bring 
up  the  rear  column. 

After  marching  about  five  miles,  T  chose  a  splendid 
place,  called  N'sabe,  where  the  plain  suddenly  rose 
to  a  height  of  fifty  feet  above  the  lake.  The  grass 
was  short,  and  there  were  a  number  of  fine  acacia 
and  tamarind  trees  scattered  about.  Here  we 
pitched  our  camp,  Emin  and  his  people  establishing 
themselves  below  us,  some  200  yards  distant. 

Stanley  has  written  of  our  stay  on  the  lake  shore 
from  April  28th  to  May  2-I-th,  and  of  his  frequent 
conversations  with  Emin  on  the  subject  of  his 
leaving  the  country  with  us.  He  has  written  all 
about  it,  so  I  will  therefore  merely  pass  on  to  that 
time  which  concerned  my  stay  with  Emin. 

I  will  here  quote  an  extract  from  my  journal,  which 
I  wrote  at  the  time. 

"  May  18th. — Stanley  came  over  to  my  tent  this 


Emin  wishes  for  one  of  Stanley  :>  Officers.  31 

morninsf,  and  told  me  that  Emin  had  asked  him  to 
leave  one  of  his  officers  Avith  him  when  he  returned 
to  bring  up  Barttelot  and  the  rear  column,  and  that 
he  had  consented  and  nominated  me.  It  appears 
Emin  had  told  Stanle}^  that  his  officers  were  exceed- 
ingly sceptical  about  us,  and  did  not  believe  we  came 
from  Egypt.  He  has  therefore  asked  Stanley  to 
leave  one  of  his  officers  with  him  until  Stanley's 
return  here  with  the  rear  column.  He  would  wish 
this  officer  to  be  his  guest,  to  go  round  with  him  to 
all  his  stations  throughout  the  Province,  and  address 
the  people,  explaining  to  them  who  we  were  and  the 
reason  we  had  arrived  here.  He  would  wish  this 
officer  to  read  the  Khedive's  and  Ts^ubar  Pasha's 
letters  to  the  people  of  each  station  ;  also  a  pro- 
clamation from  Stanley  to  the  soldiers.  The  people 
would  be  drawn  up  to  hear  what  was  said,  and  could 
ask  Stanley's  representative  any  question  they 
pleased  about  the  road,  &c.,  and  he  could  answer 
them.  Emin  thinks  that  this  alone  would  satisfy 
them,  and  convince  them  that  we  came  from  Egypt. 
It  could  then  be  seen  if  the  people  were  willing  or 
not  to  come  out  with  us  ;  and,  in  the  event  of  his 
people  refusing  to  leave  and  he  himself  coming  out 
with  us,  it  could  never  be  said  of  him  that  he  had 
deserted  his  people.  After  giving  me  this  explana- 
tion, Stanley  asked  me  if  I  accepted  the  post.  I 
said  I  would  think  about  it.  Though  I  should  be 
doing  the  work  of  the  Expedition,  I  did  not  like 
leaving  Stanley  for  so  long  a  time  (it  would  pro- 
bably be  for  seven  or  eight  months),  especially  as 
there  is  such  a  lot  of  hard  work  yet  to  be  done,  and 
I  don't  want  to  get  out  of  it.    He  told  me  I  should 


32 


Emin  Pasha. 


help  him  very  much  by  getting  things  ready,  so  that 
he  could  start  for  Zanzibar  with  as  little  delay  as 
possible  on  his  return.  He  told  me  to  go  and  see  the 
Pasha  first,  if  I  liked,  and  have  a  talk  with  him 
before  giving  him  my  answer.  In  the  afternoon  I 
went  over  to  Emin,  and  had  a  long  talk  with  him. 
He  repeated  to  me  more  or  less  what  he  had  said  to 
Stanley,  and  begged  me  most  earnestly  to  remain 
with  him.  He  said  he  believed  I  should  be  doino" 
a  most  important  Avork  for  the  Expedition  by  going 
round  his  country  with  him,  and  speaking  to  his 
people.  I  therefore  said  I  would  stay  with  him,  and 
in  the  evening  I  told  Stanley  of  my  decision  ;  I  am, 
however,  strongly  drawn  towards  the  return  journey, 
and  would  elect  to  remain  with  Stanley  if  it  rested 
entirely  with  myself.  Stanley,  however,  wishes  me  to 
stay,  and  Emin  urges  me  to  remain — so  I  must 
remain, — and  so  it  is  decided. 

"If  by  going  round  and  addressing  the  people,  I 
can  induce  them  to  come  out  with  us,  I  shall  do 
good  work.  At  the  same  time  it  seems  so  strange  to 
us  who  have  come  out  to  help  these  people,  that  it  is 
necessary  first  to  explain  who  we  are.  I  think  there 
must  be  a  screw  loose  somewhere. 

"  At  my  suggestion  it  has  been  decided  that  after 
I  have  been  round  to  all  the  stations,  and  have  seen 
the  people,  that  I,  and  if  possible  Emin  as  well, 
will  go  with  a  party  of  soldiers  and  carriers  to  Fort 
Bodo,  and  bring  the  officers  and  loads  left  in  charge 
up  to  the  lake. 

"  We  shall  build  a  station  here  at  N'sabe,  and 
Emin  has  promised  to  give  us  thirty  or  forty 
soldiers  to  help  us  to  garrison  it,  and  to  send  us 


Emiiis  love  of  Entomology. 


00 


down  supplies  in  the  Ava}'  of  cattle,  goats,  and  corn, 
for  officers  and  men.  Emin  said  it  will  probably 
take  us  from  two  to  three  months  to  do  our  work  in 
the  Province,  but  it  may  of  course  take  more  than 
that ;  it  is  always  impossible  in  Africa  to  say  "  T  will 
do  such  and  such  a  thing  on  a  certain  day," 
so  many  unforeseen  circumstances  may  arise  to 
prevent  it.  ^Ve  very  much  doubt  if  Emin  will  be 
able  to  go,  as  there  will  probably  be  a  good  deal  for 
him  to  do  in  arranging  for  the  start  to  the  coast. 
But  that  does  not  signify,  if  he  gives  me  sufficent 
carriers  and  soldiers  I  can  do  it  just  as  well  by  myself. 
The  work  of  building  and  fortifjing  a  station,  and 
leading  my  little  expedition  to  Fort  Bodo,  is  a  work 
I  shall  enjoy  thoroughly.  I  am  writing  to  Nelson, 
to  tell  him  I  hope  to  be  at  Fort  Bodo  with  lots  of 
supplies  in  a  little  more  than  two  months.  Poor  old 
chap  !  I  expect  he  Avants  cheering  up  a  bit,  for  he  has 
been  so  ill  and  low-spirited  for  a  good  many  months 
now." 

On  May  24th,  Stanley  and  Parke  started  off  on 
the  return  journey,  leaving  me  with  Emin.  Stanley 
left  three  Soudanese  soldiers  with  me  as  orderlies, 
and  Binza  as  a  servant.  He  was  a  Niam  Niam  boy, 
who  had  attached  himself  to  Dr.  Junker,  and  after 
being  with  him  about  four  years  followed  him  to 
Zanzibar.  He  spoke  Arabic  and  Ki'swahili,  and 
was  to  act  as  my  interpreter. 

One  of  our  men,  Mabruki,  had  been  fearfully 
wounded  by  a  buffalo,  and  he  also  was  left  with  me, 
but  died  a  fcAv  hours  after  Stanley  had  left.  We 
remained  a  couple  of  days  at  N'sabe  after  Stanley's 
departure,  for  the  steamers  were  short  of  hands  and 

D 


34 


Emin  Pasha. 


a  large  amount  of  wood  had  to  be  collectsd  to  enable 
us  to  do  the  twelve  hours'  steaming  to  X'sabe.  The 
camp  looked  very  dreary  when  the  Expedition  had 
left,  and  I  felt  rather  lonely  and  deserted. 

Emin  had  his  collectors  out  shooting  birds  for  his 
collections,  and  I  went  out  and  got  some  good 
butterflies  and  beetles.  It  is  wonderful  what  an 
interest  he  took  in  it,  his  face  quite  lit  up  if  any 
one  brought  him  in  some  beetle  or  bug  of  an  un- 
common species.  None  of  the  letters  we  had  brought 
him  gave  him  such  pleasure  as  those  relating  to  his 
scientific  researches. 

There  was  one  from  the  British  Museum, 
announcing  the  safe  arrival  of  a  consignment  of 
several  boxes  of  skulls,  skins,  birds,  and  bugs,  which 
he  had  sent  off  some  months  before.  He  talked 
delightedly  of  the  letter  for  days. 

Several  of  the  chief  scientific  societies  had  written 
telling  him  that  his  name  was  enrolled  among  their 
members. 

All  these  letters  gave  him  the  keenest  pleasure  and 
satisfaction. 

On  May  28th  we  started  oft  for  M'swa,  but  there 
was  something  wrong  with  the  engines,  and  we  only 
reached  Magunga  that  night,  a  place  twenty  miles 
from  M'swa,  and  at  which  I  had  slept  about  a  month 
ago,  when  T  went  in  the  boat  to  meet  Emin. 

We  left  the  hot,  stuffy  steamer,  and  had  our 
angareps  put  on  the  strand  where  I  had  formerly 
slept.  A  large  camp  fire  Avas  made,  by  the  light  of 
which  we  had  our  dinner,  and  turned  into  bed  early. 
At  12  o'clock,  however,  rain  began  to  descend  heavily, 
and  soon  our  blankets  were  wet  through  and  through. 


Attack  on  Kibero.  35 

Without  shelter  we  sat  in  a  dripping  state,  and  were 
glad  Avhen  morning  came. 

We  reached  M'swa  station  at  10.30,  and  here 
began  my  stay  in  Emiu's  Province.  


m'swa  station. 

On  arriving  at  M'swa,  Emin  told  me  he  intended 
organizing  an  attack  on  Kibero,  the  place  in  Unyoro 
whose  people  had  looted  Casati's  house,  tied  him  up, 
and  expelled  him  from  the  country  by  Kaba-regga's 
orders.    Emin  thought  that  if  this  was  allowed  to 

D  2 


36 


Emin  Pasha. 


pass  without  punishment  it  would  prove  only  the 
commencement  of  a  long  series  of  attacks  on  his 
people  by  Kaba-regga. 

Kibero  is  a  district  containing  several  large 
villages,  and  chiefly  derives  its  importance  from  its 
being  the  only  place  in  that  part  of  the  country 
where  salt  in  any  quantity  is  made.  It  supplies 
almost  the  whole  of  Unyoro,  Uganda,  and  the  sur- 
rounding countries  with  salt. 

The  steamers,  containing  100  men,  started  off  in 
the  middle  of  the  night  and  reached  Kibero,  which 
is  situated  on  the  other  side  of  the  lake  opposite 
M'swa,  before  daybreak  next  morning.  During  the 
day  we  could  see  clouds  of  smoke  rising  from  the 
other  side  of  the  lake  in  the  direction  in  which 
Kibero  lay.  The  steamers  returned  in  the  evening, 
bringing  several  hundred  large  packets  of  salt,  over 
600  goats  and  sheep,  innumerable  chickens,  and 
quantities  of  other  things  of  all  sorts.  Emin's 
soldiers  had  met  with  great  resistance  from  the 
people,  a  good  many  of  whom  had  guns  ;  they  had 
killed  a  number  of  the  Kinyoro,  and  had  captured 
an  old  Tower  musket  of  which  Kaba-regga's  people 
have  numbers.  The  oflBcers  reported  that  there 
had  been  such  an  immense  quantity  of  salt  that 
they  could  not  load  up  the  steamer  with  it,  and  had 
been  obliged  to  make  great  fires  and  burn  it. 

This  was  a  great  blow  to  Kaba-regga,  for  the 
salt  being  there  in  such  large  quantities  showed  that 
the  supply  for  the  rainy  season  had  not  yet  been 
broached.  The  rainy  season  had  just  begun  and  no 
more  salt  could  be  made  for  several  months,  so  that 
the   entire  trade  had  received  a  check  and  the 


Chief  Ouma. 


o7 


punishment  would  be  widely  felt.  Some  of  the 
soldiers  brought  me  in  some  rather  pretty  iron  and 
brass  necklets  and  bracelets,  and  a  large  basket- 
work  shield  with  a  spike  in  the  middle,  shaped  like 
those  of  the  old  Crusaders. 

One  of  the  first  people  to  come  to  pay  me  a  visit 
was  a  Lur  chief  called  Ouma.  He  was  an  exceed- 
ingly powerful  chief  and  had  a  large  number  of 
warriors.  Formerly  he  was  a  firm  ally  of  Unyoro, 
but  some  time  before  Kaba-regga  had  for  some  reason 
tried  to  have  him  assassinated,  upon  which  he  had 
made  friends  with  Emin.  Even  this  friendship  had 
been  clouded  by  an  absurd  incident. — 

Some  months  before  when  Ouma  was  visiting  the 
station,  he  asked  the  Pasha  for  an  iron  chair  such  as 
he  was  sitting  upon.  He  said,  "  We  are  both  great 
chiefs,  and  you  sit  on  an  iron  chair,  therefore  it  is 
only  right  on  great  occasions  that  I  should  sit  on  an 
iron  chair  also."  Emin  told  him  he  only  had  one, 
but  sent  him  a  very  nice  cane  chair  instead.  This 
present  was  indignantly  refused,  and  from  that  day 
till  he  visited  me,  Ouma  had  not  been  near  the 
station.  Hearing  there  was  a  white  stranger  in  the 
place  he  now  came  to  see  me,  and  brought  me  a 
present  of  a  beautiful  leopard  skin.  He  seemed  very 
much  surprised  that  a  white  man  could  reach  here, 
and  asked  Emin  how  I  had  come.  The  Pasha  ex- 
plained to  him  that  as  the  Khartoum  and  Unyoro 
roads  were  closed,  his  friends  had  opened  up  another 
road  through  the  forest,  and  told  him  that  there  were 
many  of  us  on  the  way.  He  immediately  exclaimed, 
"  Ah,  he's  a  big  man,  I  can  see,  and  will  give  me  a 
good  present."    Emin  told  him  that  all  our  goods 


38 


Emin  Pasha. 


were  behind,  but  that  he  would  give  him  a  present 
for  me,  with  which  arrangement  he  was  perfectly 
satisfied.  These  people  were  the  most  inveterate 
beggars.  Ouma  was  a  fine  strong  fellow,  he  must 
have  been  at  least  6  ft.  4  in.  in  height,  and  was  broad 
and  large  in  proportion.  He  had  a  laughing,  rollickv 
manner  which  was  most  taking.  He  gesticulated  a 
great  deal  and  clinched  each  argument  he  brought 
forward  with  a  huge  expectoration,  which  he  sent 


LUE  DANCE. 


to  a  distance  of  several  yards  with  a  precision  of 
aim  which  was  truly  astonishing.  He  was  always 
accompanied  by  his  prime  minister  and  chief  coun- 
sellor, a  little,  nervous,  laughing  fellow,  who  tried  to 
smooth  over  his  chief's  somewhat  brusque  remarks. 
Ouma  had  brought  all  his  people  to  dance  before  us, 
and  after  talking  some  time  we  went  out  to  see  the 
dance  which  had  already  begun  in  the  station  square. 


Ltir  Dance. 


39 


There  were  some  hundreds  of  natives  dancing  in  a 
large  circle,  within  which  was  a  band  of  about  fifty 
people  beating  drums  of  all  shapes  and  sizes,  and 
blowing  long  ivor}'  or  Avooden  horns,  which  last  were 
covered  with  hide  and  gave  out  very  deep  notes. 
There  were  also  many  kinds  of  pipes,  made  out  of 
the  stems  of  gourds,  which  sounded  like  penny 
whistles.  The  noise  made  by  the  drums,  horns,  pipes 
and  cries  of  the  dancers  was  almost  deafening  as  we 
approached.  The  men  danced  round  with  their 
backs  turned  outwards  in  a  sort  of  slow,  swaying 
motion,  while  some  sixty  women  danced  outside  the 
circle  to  the  tune  (?)  of  the  pipes,  and  emphasized  the 
time  by  jingling  the  bangles  which  reached  from  their 
ankles  to  their  knees. 

They  were  entirely  without  clothes,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  a  long  tail  of  red  string,  which  hung  down 
behind  from  a  string  round  their  waists.  The  great 
feature  in  the  dance  seemed  to  be  to  wag  their  tails 
as  much  as  possible.  They  came  and  danced 
immediately  in  front  of  us,  and  the  effect  of  sixty  red 
tails  wagging  at  us  to  the  time  of  the  pipes  and 
jingling  bangles  was  most  ludicrous.  Natives  seem 
to  delight  in  dancing,  they  will  dance  on  for  hours 
until  the  perspiration  pours  down  them  in  streams 
without  showing  any  signs  of  fatigue.  At  about  five 
o'clock  the  dancing,  which  had  been  going  on  without 
intermission  since  mid-day,  ceased.  These  Lurs  were 
as  a  rule  an  ugly  people  ;  they  moreover  made  them- 
selves more  ugly  by  plaiting  sheep's  or  goats'  wool  in 
their  hair  so  that  it  hung  down  all  round  their  heads 
in  a  long  fringe.  Many  of  them  daubed  their  heads 
with  fat,  mixed  with  a  kind  of  red  ochreous  clay. 


40 


Emin  Pasha. 


Some  of  them  are  exceedingly  fine  men,  but  as  a  rule 
they  are  small,  and  have  a  particularly  unpleasant 
smell.  Emin  told  me  that  each  tribe  has  its  own 
peculiar  smell,  and  that  when  you  got  to  know  the 
different  people,  you  could  almost  distinguish,  blind- 
folded, to  what  tribe  they  belonged,  merely  by  the 
smell.  I  am  quite  sure  I  should  know  these  people 
blindfolded  !  I  remember  our  Zanzibaris  in  the 
forest  telling  us  that  all  the  cannibals  had  such  a  bad 
smell. 

Near  this  station  there  was  a  large  tract  of 
virgin  forest,  in  which  there  were  numbers  of  chim- 
panzees. This  is  an  interesting  fact  to  naturalists, 
for  I  believe  it  was  never  known  before  how  far  east 
the  habitat  of  chimpanzees  extended. 

Almost  every  day  I  had  a  touch  of  fever  which 
rendered  me  perfectly  useless. 

As  there  were  so  many  officials  away  on  different 
duties,  I  did  not  address  the  people  before  leaving 
M'swa. 

On  June  6th,  we  arrived  at  Tunguru,  which  was 
about  nine  miles  from  the  north  end  of  the  lake.  There 
had  formerly  been  a  station  near  here  called  Mahagi ; 
it  was  built  by  Grordon,  but  had  been  abandoned  when 
the  stations  of  M'ruli  and  M'gungu  had  been  given 
up  some  years  before.  Rather  more  than  two  years 
previously,  Emin,  wishing  to  establish  stations  to  the 
south,  on  hearing  of  the  fall  of  Khartoum,  had  built 
this  station  on  what  was  then  an  island.  Owing 
to  the  rapid  fall  of  the  lake  it  had  now  become  a 
peninsula,  and  stood  on  a  long  spit  of  sand  running 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  into  the  lake.  This  spit  is 
constantly  increasing,  owing  to  the  fall  of  the  lake 


Arrival  at  Ttinguru. 


4' 


and  the  constant  silting  up  of  the  sand.  The  moun- 
tains, which  to  the  south  of  the  station  come  right 
up  to  the  lake,  gradually  deflect  towards  the  south- 
west, thus  forming  a  broad  flat  plain  between  them 
and  the  shore.  This  plain  extends  almost  to  Wadelai, 
which  was  some  thirty  miles  distant. 

The  station  was  built  in  a  long  narrow  line,  and 
was  without  defences  of  any  sort.  There  are  large 
numbers  of  crocodiles  and  turtles  here,  which  may 
be  seen  swimming  about  or  sleeping  on  the  sand- 
banks. The  natives  collect  quantities  of  their  eggs, 
which  they  dig  out  of  the  sand. 

Since  arriving  at  Tunguru  I  had  bad  fever,  day 
after  day,  and  was  able  to  do  but  little. 

The  chief  of  the  station,  Suliman  Aga,  was  away 
when  we  arrived,  having  gone  up  to  the  mountains 
to  collect  the  grain-tax  from  the  natives.  During  his 
absence  considerable  mischief  had  been  done  by  two 
Egyptians  named  Achmet  Effendi  Mahmoud,  a  clerk, 
and  Abdul  Wahab  Effendi,  a  lieutenant  who  had  been 
transported  here  from  Egypt  for  having  been  mixed 
up  in  Arabi's  rebellion.  These  two  men,  it  appeared, 
had  been  brought  down  to  our  camp  at  M'sabo  by 
Emin.  During  the  time  they  were  there  they  had 
gone  to  Stanley  and  had  complained  of  the  Pasha, 
against  whom  they  brought  all  sorts  of  charges. 
Stanley  merely  told  them  that  he  could  take  no  notice 
of  their  complaints,  it  was  no  business  of  his,  if  they 
had  anything  to  say  against  their  Governor  they  must 
wait  till  they  got  to  Egypt.  He  dismissed  them,  but 
did  not  think  it  worth  while  to  say  anything  about  it 
to  Emin.  On  the  steamer's  returning,  to  bring  up 
fresh  supplies  of  grain  to  our  camp,  Emin  had  sent 


42 


E villi  Pasha. 


these  two  men,  amongst  others,  back  to  their  duty  at 
Tunguru.  Finding  on  their  return  to  Tunguru  that 
the  chief  of  the  station  was  away,  they  immediately 
began  to  make  mischief.  They  spoke  to  the  people 
in  the  station  and  declared  that  Stanley  was  an 
impostor  and  adventurer,  and  had  not  come  from 
Egypt,  but  that  he  was  in  league  with  the  Pasha,  who 
had  formed  a  design  with  him  to  take  the  people 
out  of  the  country  and  hand  them  over  as  slaves  to 
the  Enghsh.  They  also  sent  letters  to  the  different 
stations  containing  words  to  this  effect. 

On  our  arrival  all  the  station  officials  came,  as  the 
custom  was,  to  kiss  our  hands  and  to  assure  the 
Pasha  of  their  loyalty  and  devotion.  These  two 
Egyptians  came  with  unblushing  faces,  and  made  the 
usual  compliments  also.  Next  day,  however,  the 
Soudanese  officials  all  came  before  the  Pasha,  and 
told  him  what  had  been  going  on  in  the  station  since 
the  return  of  these  two  officers. 

Emin  instantly  mustered  his  people,  and  the  clerk, 
lieutenant,  and  two  other  Egyptian  officers  were 
arrested.  The  clerk,  Achmet  Effendi,  being  sent  as  a 
prisoner  to  Dufile,  the  three  other  officers  being  made 
prisoners  in  their  houses.  This,  however,  was  not 
effected  without  a  good  deal  of  talking,  which  breach 
of  discipline  surprised  me  greatly. 

Emin  then  addressed  the  soldiers  and  told  them 
of  the  punishments  he  had  awarded  to  the  con- 
spirators, and  enjoined  them  not  to  be  led  away  by 
such  people.  He  further  told  them  that  on  the 
return  of  Suliman  Aga  and  the  rest  of  the  soldiers, 
I,  as  the  representative  of  Stanley,  intended  to 
address  them  and  explain  fully  to  them  all  about 


Intriguing  of  Egyptians. 


our  Expedition.  The  soldiers  answered  him  enihusi- 
astically,  and  assured  him  of  their  loyalty  and 
devotion. 

On  vcix  expressing  great  surprise  at  the  whole 
affair,  Emin  told  me  more  fully  of  the  trouble  he 
was  in  about  his  soldiers  of  the  1st  Battalion  at 
Rejaf.    The  story  was  as  follows  : — 

Nearly  four  years  before,  after  the  repulse  of  the 
Mahdi's  people  by  Emin's  soldiers,  he  wished  to 
abandon  all  the  northern  stations  of  Makraka,  Lado,  ' 
and  Rejaf,  and  concentrate  his  people  to  the  south, 
in  order  to  open  a  road  to  Zanzibar.    He  built  a 
station  at  Wadelai  as  his  headquarters,  and  esta- 
blished Tunguru  on  the  lake.    The  soldiers  of  the 
1st  Battalion,  however,  refused  to  move,  and  were 
further  instigated  to  rebel  by  an  Eg3^ptian  officer, 
another  of  those  concerned  in  Arabi's  rebellion,  who 
said  he  did  not  believe  that  the  Government  at 
Khartoum   had  fallen,  and   that    their   Governor  j 
was  deceiving  them.    He  added,  "  ^Thy  should  we  i 
be  afraid  to  oppose  Emin  Pasha,  when  we  in  Egypt  i 
were  not  afraid  to  rebel  against  the  Khedive  him-  ' 
self  ?  "  ! 

The  result  was  that  the  soldiers  declared  they 
would  no  longer  obey  their  Governor's  orders,  and 
openly  rebelled  against  him.    An  insulting  letter 
was  sent  to  Emin,  signed  by  all  the  officers  and 
clerks  belonging  to  the  1st  Battalion.    Shortly  after  | 
this,  two  attempts  were  made  by  a  certain  Ali  Aga  | 
Djabor,  a  Soudanese  captain  of  the  1st  Battalion,  to  { 
capture  Emin,  and  carry  him  oif  in  chains  to  Rejaf.  j 
Since  that  time  the  1st  Battalion  had  defied  their 
Governor,  and  had  from  time  to  time  sent  him 


44 


Emin  Pasha. 


insulting  letters.  Some  of  the  Egyptian  and 
Soudanese  officers  established  themselves  in  Makraka 
and  the  countries  round,  where  they  led  the  lives  of 
bandit  chiefs,  and  treated  the  natives  with  great 
cruelty. 

The  2nd  Battalion  declared  themselves  loyal  and 
faithful  to  their  Governor,  and  Emin  told  me  he 
trusted  the  soldiers  implicitly,  and  was  sure  of  their 
obedience  to  his  orders.  At  the  same  time  he  said 
there  were  certain  officers  of  the  2nd  Battalion, 
chiefly  Egyptians,  whom  he  knew  were  unfriendly  to 
him. 

He  spoke  very  strongly  about  the  Egyptian  officers 
and  clerks,  of  whom  there  were  some  fifty-six  in  the 
Province,  and  complained  bitterly  of  the  policy  of  the 
Egyptian  Government,  which  had  turned  his  Pro- 
vince into  a  sort  of  Botany  Bay,  to  which  all  the 
scum  of  Egypt  had  been  banished.  By  his  showing, 
there  was  scarcely  an  Egyptian  in  the  Province  who 
was  not  at  that  moment  undergoing  a  sentence  of 
banishment  from  Egypt  for  such  crimes  as  murder, 
rebellion,  or  highway  robbery. 

This  was  a  very  great  revelation  to  me,  for 
though  we  all  knew,  from  what  he  had  told  us  at 
N'sabe,  that  things  were  somewhat  difficult  in  his 
Province,  we  had  no  idea  that  rebellion  had  taken 
such  a  hold  on  "his  people.  I  was  further  surprised 
that  Dr.  Junker,  who  was  in  the  country  when  the 
rebellion  of  the  1st  Battalion  broke  out,  should 
have  said  nothing  about  it  in  Europe.  From  Captain 
Casati  I  got  a  further  insight  into  things,  and 
felt  convinced  there  would  be  trouble.  He  told 
me  that  Emin  could  not,  or  would  not,  see  how 


T^ie  Khedive^ s  Letter  to  Emin. 


45 


serious  the  position  of  affairs  in  tlie  country  had 
become. 

When  Suliman  Aga  returned  to  the  station,  I  sent 
for  him,  and  spoke  to  him  about  leaving  the  country. 
He  said,  "  "Where  the  Pasha  goes,  my  soldiers  and  I 
folloAv"  ;  he  put  his  two  hands  together  so  as  to  form 
a  circle,  and  said,  "  These  are  my  soldiers,  and  the 
Pasha  goes  in  the  middle,  that  is  the  way  we  will 
travel,  by  whatever  road  the  Pasha  wishes." 

He  spoke  of  what  had  happened  in  the  station 
during  his  absence,  and  said  what  an  endless  source 
of  trouble  the  Egyptians,  and  particularly  the  clerks, 
had  ever  been  to  the  Governor,  but  he  said  their 
ideas  by  no  means  represented  the  ideas  of  the 
Soudanese,  who  were  dead  against  them. 

The  next  day  Emin  ordered  all  the  people  to  be 
mustered,  in  order  that  I  might  address  them,  and 
read  them  the  Khedive's  and  Tvubar  Pasha's  letters, 
and  also  Stanley's  proclamation  to  the  soldiers, 
which  were  as  follows  : — 

"  To  Ills  Excellenaj  Mehmed  Emin, 

"  Mudir  of  Hatalastiva. 

"  Some  time  ago  I  commended  you  for  your 
bravery  and  for  the  stand  you  and  your  officers  and 
soldiers  made,  and  for  your  victory  over  the 
adversities  which  beset  3"ou,  I  have  rewarded  you  by 
conferring  upon  jou  the  exalted  rank  of  a  general, 
and  I  have  confirmed  every  promotion  you  have 
conferred  on  your  officers,  and  have  informed  you 
of  all  this  by  my  sovereign  letter  of  November  29th, 
1886,  No.  31.  And  most  certainly  this  letter 
reached  you,  together  with  the  post  forwarded  by 


46 


Emin  Pasha. 


our  Prime  Minister,  His  Excellency  Nubar  Pasha. 
I  am  very  pleased  with  your  good  behaviour  and 
with  whatever  you  have  done,  you,  your  officers  and 
.■soldiers,  and  therefore  my  Government  has  busied 
itself  with  the  means  to  extricate  you,  and  save  you 
if  possible  from  the  straits  in  which  you  find  yourself. 
And  now  there  has  been  constituted  a  force,  under  the 
direction  of  Mr.  Stanley,  the  famous  savant,  who  is 
known  in  all  parts  of  the  world  for  his  great  qualities 
and  pre-eminence  as  a  traveller.  This  Expedition  is 
now  ready  to  start  for  you,  and  with  it  whatever 
you  are  in  need  of  in  the  way  of  provisions  of  every 
description,  to  bring  you,  your  officers  and  soldiers,  to 
Egypt,  by  the  road  Mr.  Stanley  considers  is  most 
preferable  and  easiest  to  march  on.  Therefore  I 
command  you,  by  this  my  order,  sent  by  the  hands  of 
Mr.  Stanley,  to  make  known  to  you  all  these  things, 
that  after  the  arrival  of  this  you  will  communicate 
them  to  your-  officers  and  soldiers,  and  read  before 
them  my  Sovereign  greetings  with  the  intention  to 
inform  them  of  this.  At  the  same  time  I  give  to 
you,  to  your  officers  and  soldiers,  full  liberty  to  rest 
where  you  are,  or  to  do  your  best  to  come  out  with 
the  Expedition  which  is  now  sent  to  you.  Our 
Government  has  decided  to  pay  you  and  all  the 
employes,  officers  and  soldiers,  all  the  appointments 
and  allowances  due  to  you.  If,  however,  any  one, 
officer  or  soldier,  wishes  to  rest  in  the  country,  he  is 
free  to  do  so,  but  he  does  so  on  his  own  responsibility, 
and  must  not  in  future  expect  any  assistance  from 
this  Government.  And  now  make  them  understand 
all  this  distinctly,  and  communicate  it  word  for  word 
to  all  your  officers  and  soldiers,  in  order  that  every 


Nubar  Pasha  s  Letter.  47 

one  may  make  up  his  mind.  This  is  our  Sovereign 
Order. 

"MoHAMAfED  TeWFIK." 

"  EiqU  Jumad  Oiuel,  1304. 

"  To   His   Excellency  Mehmed   Emin  Pasha, 
Governor  of  the  Equatorial  Province. 

"  I  have  sent  you  b}'  means  of  the  English  Consulate 
at  Zanzibar,  a  letter  from  our  August  Sovereign,  by 
which  he  thanks  you  for  the  bravery  and  courage 
shown  by  you,  your  ofl&cers  and  soldiers,  by  which 
he  commends  you  for  your  gallantry,  perseverance 
and  victory  over  the  adversities  which  beset  jon, 
and  by  which  he  expressed  his  appreciation  of  you, 
and  conferred  on  you  the  exalted  rank  of  a  general, 
and  confirmed  the  promotions  and  rewards  you  have 
conferred  on  your  officers.  At  the  same  time  I  in- 
formed you  that  an  Expedition  would  be  sent  out  ; 
and  now  this  Expedition  has  been  constituted  under 
the  direction  of  Mr.  Stanley,  w^ho  will  hand  you  this 
letter,  and  this  Expedition  is  now  ready  to  start  to 
you  .  .  .  for  Egypt  by  the  road  which  seems  best  to 
Mr.  Stanley.  .  .  .  Our  August  Sovereign  gives  you, 
your  officers  and  soldiers  who  are  with  you,  full 
liberty  ...  to  be  able  to  come  back  with  the  Ex- 
pedition which  is  now  sent  to  you.  But  you  must 
understand  and  make  it  understood  at  the  same  time 
by  all  your  officers,  soldiers  and  others,  that  if  any 
one  wishes  to  stay  in  the  country  where  he  is  now,  he 
is  free  to  do  so,  but  he  will  do  it  on  his  own  responsi- 
bility, and  need  not  expect  the  slightest  assistance 
from  this  Government  in  future.    And  this  is  what 


Emin  Pasha. 


our  August  Sovereign  wishes  you  to  make  distinctly 
understood  to  anyone  wishing  to  stay  there.  There 
is  no  need  to  inform  you  that  we  will  pay  you,  your 
officers,  soldiers  and  civil  servants,  the  wages  and 
allowances  due  to  you,  in  consequence  of  our  August 
Master's  having  confirmed  all  your  ranks.  This  is 
all,  and  I  hope  Mr.  Stanley  will  find  you  in  good 
health  and  safe.  This  is  my  sincere  wish  and  what 
I  wish  you  all.  "Written  9th  Jumah  Owel,  1304, 
corresponding  to  Feb.  2nd,  1887.    Xo.  2. 

"  NUBAE, 

"  Rei8  Medglis  en  Nuzar  " 
{i.e.  President  of  the  Council  of  Ministers). 

The  blanks  in  Nubar's  letters  were  owing  to  some 
parts  of  the  letter  being  erased  by  damp. 

It  will  be  seen  from  these  letters  that  no  direct 
order  was  given  to  Emin  or  his  people  to  leave  the 
Province,  nor  was  any  promise  of  employment  given 
to  them  when  they  reached  Egypt.  The  letter  of 
Nov.  29th,  1886,  which  the  Khedive  speaks  of  in  his 
letter,  never  reached  Emin. 

The  following  is  Stanley's  address  to  the 
soldiers  : — 

"  Soldiers  of  Euiin  Pa.^ha. 

"  After  a  long  journey  from  Zanzibar,  I  have  at 
last  reached  your  Nyanza,  and  seen  your  Pasha.  I 
have  come  expressly  at  the  commaiid  of  the  Khedive 
Tewfik,  to  lead  you  out  of  this  country  and  show  you 
the  way  to  Egypt.  For  you  must  know  that  the 
river  el  Abiad  is  closed,  that  Khartoum  is  in  the 
hands  of  the  followers  of  Mohammed  Achmet,  that 


Stanley's  address  to  the  Soldiers. 


49 


the  great  Pasha  Gordon  and  all  his  people  were 
killed  over  three  years  ago,  and  that  the  country 
and  river  between  Wady  Haifa  and  the  Bahr  Ghazal 
is  occupied  by  3^our  enemies  and  by  the  rebels. 

"  Four  times  have  the  Khedive  and  your  friends 
made  attempts  to  help  you.  First  Gordon  Pasha 
was  sent  to  Khartoum  to  bring  you  all  home,  but 
before  he  could  safely  leave  Khartoum,  that  city  was 
taken  and  he  himself  killed. 

"  Next,  the  English  soldiers  came  near  to  Khartoum 
to  try  and  help  Gordon  Pasha,  but  they  were  four 
days  too  late,  for  Gordon  was  dead  and  Khartoum 
was  lost. 

"  Xext  came  Dr.  Fischer,  by  way  of  the  Nyanza  of 
Uganda,  but  he  found  too  many  enemies  in  the  path, 
and  returned  home  and  died. 

"  Xext  came  Dr.  Lenz,  by  way  of  the  Congo,  but  he 
could  not  find  men  enough  to  carry  his  goods,  and  he 
also  went  home. 

"  I  tell  3^ou  these  things  to  prove  to  you  that  you 
have  not  been  forgotten  in  Eg3'pt.  No,  the  Khedive 
and  his  vizier  Nubar  Pasha  have  always  kept  you  in 
mind  though  they  could  not  reach  you.  They  have 
heard  from  your  Pasha,  by  way  of  Uganda,  how 
bravely  you  have  held  to  your  posts,  and  how  staunch 
you  have  been  to  your  duties  as  soldiers. 

"  Therefore  they  sent  me  to  tell  you  this,  and  to  say 
to  you  that  you  are  well  remembered  and  that  your 
reward  is  awaiting  you.  At  the  same  time,  the 
Khedive  says  that  if  you  think  the  road  is  too  long, 
or  are  afraid  of  the  journey,  that  you  may  stay  here, 
but  if  you  do  so  you  are  no  longer  his  soldiers,  and 
that  your  pay  stops  at  once,  and  that  if  any  trouble 


50 


Emm  Pasha. 


befall  you  hereafter  you  are  not  to  expect  any  help 
from  liim.  Should  you  decide  to  obey  him  and  follow 
me  to  Egypt,  I  am  to  show  you  the  way  to  Zanzibar, 
and  there  put  you  on  board  a  steamer,  and  take  you 
to  Suez,  and  thence  to  Cairo,  and  that  your  pay  con- 
tinues until  you  arrive  in  Egypt,  and  that  all  promo- 
tions made  here  will  be  secured  to  you,  and  all 
rewards  promised  you  here  will  be  paid  in  full. 

"  I  send  one  of  my  officers,  Mr.  Jeplison,  to  read  to 
you  this  message,  and  that  you  may  know  that  he 
comes  from  me  I  lend  him  my  sword.  I  now  go  back 
a  little  way  to  collect  all  my  people  and  goods,  and 
bring  them  here.  After  a  few  months — Inshallah — 
I  shall  return  to  hear  what  you  have  to  say.  If  you 
say,  '  Let  us  go  to  Egypt,'  I  will  then  show  you  a 
safe  road,  and  will  accompanj^  you  and  not  leave  you 
until  you  stand  before  the  Khedive.  If  you  say,  '  ^Ve 
shall  not  leave  this  country,'  then  I  will  bid  you 
farewell  and  return  to  Egypt  with  my  own  people, 
and  give  the  Khedive  your  answer. 

"  May  God  have  you  in  his  safe  keeping. 

"  This  is  from  jomt  good  friend, 

"  Stanley." 

The  soldiers,  clerks,  and  employes  were  all  drawn 
up  in  line,  and  were  dressed  in  their  smartest 
uniforms  and  clothes.  They  really  looked  extremely 
well,  with  five  Turkish  flags  flpng,  and  the  trum- 
peters in  their  bright  red  suits  drawn  up  at  the  head 
of  the  line.  As  Emin  and  I  approached,  the  flags 
were  dipped  while  the  trumpeters  played  the 
Khedivial  Hymn.  I  then  spoke  to  them,  through 
Binza,  and  made  them  a  short  address, telling  them  the 


People  s  desire  to  remain  in  the  Province.       5 1 


origin  of  the  Expedition  and  a  few  of  our  experiences 
on  tlie  road,  and  the  reason  why  Stanley  had  sent  me 
to  speak  to  them.  I  then  called  upon  the  clerk  of 
the  station  to  read  the  Khedive's  and  Xubar  Pasha's 
letters,  which  were  in  Arabic,  and  after  these  were 
finished  I  read  them  Stanley's  address. 

When  I  had  endedseveral  men  made  short  speeches 
all  expressive  of  their  loyalty  and  devotion  to  their 
Governor.  After  telling  them  I  would  send  for  them 
to-morrow  to  receive  their  decision,  as  to  whether 
they  elected  to  stay  in  the  country  or  leave  with  us, 
they  gave  three  cheers  for  the  Khedive,  and  were 
dismissed. 

Accordingly  the  next  day  I  had  all  the  people  in 
to  hear  their  decision. 

First  came  Suliman  Aga,  the  head  of  the  Regular 
soldiers  at  Tunguru,  and  chief  of  the  Station,  he 
brought  with  him  his  lieutenant  and  six  non-com- 
missioned officers.  I  further  explained  to  them  that 
the  evacuation  of  this  country  would  not  be  an  easy 
thing,  and  that  they  would  have  to  work  hard  on 
the  road  if  they  came  out  with  us.  I  then  asked 
them  if  they  wished  to  go  to  Egypt ;  to  which  they 
replied,  they  had  talked  it  all  over  amongst  them- 
selves, and  had  decided  if  the  Pasha  stayed,  they 
stayed ;  if  the  Pasha  went,  they  went.  Ibrahim 
Aga,  the  chief  of  the  Irregulars,  next  came  in  with 
his  non-commissioned  officers,  and  to- my  question  as 
to  whether  they  wished  to  go  to  Egypt  or  not,  they 
returned  the  same  answer  as  the  Regulars  had  given 
me.  These  people  came  from  the  country  round 
about  Dongola,  and  were,  the  most  useful  of  Emin's 
people.    Then  followed  the  clerks  and  civil  employes, 

E  2 


52 


Efniti  Pasha. 


who  gave  me  precisely  the  same  answer  as  their 
predecessors. 

It  was  plain  to  me,  therefore,  that  the  feeling  of 
these  people  was  not  for  going  to  Egypt. 

They  all  spoke  most  respectfully  of  Effendina  (the 
Khedive),  but  he  was  to  them  only  a  person  in  the 
clouds.  They  were  all  told  he  was  their  Sultan,  and 
that  the  flag  they  were  so  fond  of  flpng  on  every 
occasion  was  his  flag,  but  all  they  knew  of  him  was 
that  he  sent  them  fine  words,  but  through  all  these 
years  had  neither  helped  them  nor  sent  them  their 
pay.  They  wanted  a  real  man,  whom  they  could 
look  up  to  as  their  Governor,  who  would  look  after 
them  and  clothe  them.  The  Khedive's  letter  only 
promised  to  give  them  their  pay  up  to  the  time  they 
arrived  in  Egypt,  and  said  nothing  whatever  about 
future  employment.  Moreover,  most  of  these  so- 
called  Soudanese  had  been  recruited  from  the  Dinka, 
Madi,  Boru,  Shefalu,  Niam-Niam,  Bongo,  Makraka, 
Monbuttu,  or  Moru  tribes,  and  the  country  was 
more  or  less  like  their  own  homes,  where  they  could 
keep  up  large  households  and  live  on  the  fat  of  the 
land.  Even  if  they  had  been  promised  employment 
in  Egypt,  they  could  never  have  supported  their 
people  on  their  pay,  and  they  would  never  be  willing 
to  get  rid  of  their  women  and  children.  Egypt 
olfered  no  attractions  for  them  whatever,  so  it  was 
hardly  surprising  when  they  answered  that  they 
wished  to  follow  their  Grovernor,  who  had  looked 
after  them  and  clothed  them  all  these  years. 

With  the  Egyptians  it  was  of  course  different,  and 
Emin  thought  they  would  go  out  under  any  circum- 
stances. 


Start  for  Wadelai. 


53 


Suliman  Aga  afterwards  suggested  that  it  would 
be  a  good  thing,  if  this  country  was  no  longer  con- 
sidered tenable,  that  the  people  with  their  Governor 
should  be  conducted  to  a  country  within  reach  of  the 
sea,  and  left  to  settle  there.  It  was  peculiar  that  he 
should  have  thought  of  this  plan,  for  Emin  had 
made  it  himself  in  one  of  his  letters  to  Nubar  Pasha 
some  months  before. 

Stanley,  when  he  reached  the  lake,  had  made 
three  propositions  to  the  Pasha,  one  of  which  was 
a  suggestion  that  Emin  should  take  his  people  and 
settle  them  in  Kavirondo,  on  the  Victoria  Nyanza,  if 
they  did  not  wish  to  go  to  Egypt.  This  plan,  there- 
fore, of  Suliman  Aga's  agreed  with  both,  but  I  did 
not  say  anything  about  it,  as  I  had  been  strictly 
enjoined  to  understand  that  our  first  duty  was  to  the 
Khedive. 

Owing  to  Emin's  having  a  good  deal  to  do  after 
being  away  so  long,  and  my  constant  attacks  of 
fever,  we  were  unable  to  get  away  from  Tunguru 
till  June  25th.  It  was  decided  that  we  should  go  to 
AVadelai  by  land,  as  Emin  wished  to  settle  some 
difficulty  which  had  arisen  between  his  people  and  a 
native  chief,  whose  country  we  should  pass  through 
on  our  way  to  Wadelai.  The  soldiers  were  all 
drawn  up  as  usual,  to  salute  the  Governor,  and  at 
6.30  we  started  from  the  station. 

Emin  rode  a  donkey  and  I  an  Abyssinian  mule, 
which  was  lent  me  by  the  apothecary.  Vita  Hassan  ; 
it  was  a  handsome  little  animal,  like  a  black 
Shetland  pony,  and  carried  me  very  well.  Emin, 
whilst  riding,  took  observations  every  few  minutes 
with  a  prismatic  compass  ;  he  was  anxious  to  lay 


54 


Emin  Pasha. 


down  tlie  road  between  Tunguru  and  Wadelai,  and 
so  complete  a  survey  of  all  the  roads  connecting  his 
stations. 

The  country  through  which  we  passed  was  a  fine 
open  plain,  lying  between  the  mountains  and  the 
lake,  dotted  here  and  there  with  trees  and  flowering 
shrubs.  After  a  couple  of  hours  we  came  upon  a 
fine  patch  of  acacia  jungle,  very  dark  and  abounding 
with  game.  This  we  skirted  and  reached  a  part  of 
the  plain  more  thickly  covered  with  trees  and  shrubs, 
among  which  there  were  flocks  of  springbok  and 
kudu  feeding,  and  guinea  fowl  in  plenty.  All  along 
the  road  were  footprints  of  elephants,  leopards,  and 
hyenas,  showing  clearly  in  the  soft  mud. 

At  about  ten  o'clock  we  got  out  again  into  the  open 
plain,  where  there  were  a  good  many  villages  in  little 
clusters,  and  large  herds  of  goats  might  be  seen 
feeding  in  different  parts  of  the  plain,  each  herd 
being  tended  by  two  or  three  natives  fully  armed 
with  bows  and  spears.  Round  each  village,  or  more 
correctly  speaking,  round  each  circular  group  of 
huts,  was  a  boma  or  fence  of  dry  mimosa  bushes, 
the  branches  of  which  were  covered  so  completely  by 
a  network  of  cobwebs  that  each  village  seemed  en- 
circled by  a  curtain  of  the  finest  white  gauze.  The 
huts  were  of  the  usual  beehive  shape,  very  untidily 
made  of  grass.  The  natives  plaster  the  inside  to  a 
height  of  three  feet  with  a  mixture  of  mud  and  cow 
dung,  forming  a  sort  of  dado  all  round  the  hut. 
Each  hut  had  a  peculiar  porch  which  looked  like  a 
huge  poke  bonnet.  "With  the  exception  of  a  few 
patches  of  ground  planted  with  potherbs,  there  were 
no  signs  of  cultivation  near  the  villages.    The  na- 


Bokis  Co7intry. 


55 


tives  fear  the  raids  of  Kaba-regga's  people,  and  have 
their  fields  of  millet,  Indian  corn  and  potatoes  in 
the  distant  hills,  keeping  only  a  small  quantity  for 
present  use  in  the  little  granaries  which  stand  in  the 
middle  of  the  villages.  We  stopped  half  an  hour  and 
rested  under  the  shade  of  a  large  fig-tree  close  to 
the  principal  village  belonging  to  Boki,  the  chief  of 
this  district.  The  natives  brought  quantities  of  cold 
clear  water  in  large  earthen  crocks  for  the  men,  and 
for  me  a  good  sized  bowl  of  curdled  milk,  which  was 
very  refreshing  after  the  long  ride  in  the  sun.  From 
here  we  got  a  good  view  of  the  end  of  the  lake, 
which  gradually  narrowed  to  where  the  Nile  made 
its  exit,  and  flowed  away,  a  good-sized  river,  in  an 
almost  due  northerly  direction.  "We  could  see  it  in 
the  distance  winding  like  a  silver  ribbon  through  the 
plain.  To  the  east  we  got  a  distant  view  of  some 
splendid  mountains  in  Unyoro,  rising  in  three  sharply- 
defined  peaks,  which  must  have  been  7000  feet  high. 
On  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  was  the  site  of  the 
station  of  Magungu,  which  had  been  abandoned  three 
years  before  on  account  of  Kaba-regga's  hostility.  A 
pleasant  breeze  came  up  from  the  lake  and  stirred 
all  the  leaves  of  our  tree,  which  gave  us  a  delightful 
feeling  of  coolness  and  repose. 

Just  before  we  started,  Boki's  favourite  wife  came 
and  prostrated  herself  before  the  Pasha,  and  begged 
him  to  release  her  husband  who  was  in  prison  at 
Tunguru.  It  appeared  that  Emin  five  months  before 
had  intrusted  a  letter  for  Kaba-regga  to  Boki,  who 
promised  to  deliver  it.  He  paid  him  handsomely  m 
ivory  for  his  trouble,  but  a  month  before  the  letter  was 
found  in  Boki's  hut  by  one  of  the  soldiers,  who 


56 


Emin  Pasha. 


brought  it  to  the  Pasha,  so  Boki  was  consigned  to 
prison.  In  answer  to  her  request  Emin  promised 
that  her  husband  should  be  released,  he  was  much 
too  soft-hearted  to  be  able  to  withstand  the  prayers 
of  a  weeping  woman. 

After  resting  an  hour  we  started  on  again,  for  we 


BOKl  S  WIFE   INTERCEDES  FOE  HEE 
HUSBAND. 


liad  a  long  way  to  go  before  we  reached  our  camping- 
place.  The  plain  through  which  we  passed  was 
thickly  covered  with  acacias  and  jasmine.  These 
acacias  are  covered  with  long  sharp  prickles,  growing 
out  of  a  sort  of  round  hollow  ball,  in  which  numbers 
of  small  black  ants  make  their  nests.  "What  with 
the  prickles  and  the  ants  an  acacia  thicket  is  an 
unpleasant   place  to  ride  through.    This  kind  of 


Country  between  Tunguru  and  Wadelai.  57 


acacia  never  grows  into  a  large  tree,  but  only 
reaches  a  height  varpng  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet ; 
they  have  feathery,  white  blossoms,  which  have 
a  very  good  smell,  and  with  it  and  the  scent  of  the 
jasmine  the  whole  air  was  heavy  with  perfume. 

There  were  numberless  butterflies  flitting  about 
among  the  blossoms,  but  we  could  not  stop  to  catch 
any,  much  to  my  regret,  for  there  were  several  kinds 
which  I  had  not  seen  before.  Late  in  the  afternoon 
we  passed  over  two  broad,  flat,  low-lying  plains, 
scarcely  two  feet  above  the  level  of  the  river.  At 
high  Nile  these  are  generally  several  feet  under 
water,  but  though  this  was  just  the  time  for  high 
Nile,  there  had  been  so  little  rain  that  year  that  the 
river  was  scarcely  higher  than  at  low  Nile.  Emin 
remarked  that  he  had  never  seen  such  a  low  Nile 
since  he  had  been  in  the  Province,  and  we  talked 
about  the  probabilities  of  its  being  a  very  low  Nile  in 
Egypt.  Since  then  I  heard  in  Cairo  that  the  Nile  of 
1888  was  the  lowest  Nile  known  in  Eg3"pt  for  fifteen 
years.  From  this  it  may  be  seen,  even  at  that  dis- 
tance from  its  mouth,  what  a  great  influence  the 
AVhite  Nile  has  upon  the  main  river.  At  4.30  we 
reached  a  district  belonging  to  a  chief  called  Okello, 
who  knew  of  our  coming,  and  had  prepared  a  cluster 
of  huts  for  us.  He  was  a  fat,  jolly  old  man,  but  was 
very  dirty  and  smelt  badly.  He  was  formerly  a 
persistent  enemy  of  Emin,  but  he  had  completely 
come  round,  and  he  now  counted  him  as  one  of  his 
best  friends.  We  dined  off  kabobs,  which  are  little 
lumps  of  meat  and  fat,  skewered  alternately  on  a  stick 
and  roasted  in  front  of  the  fire, — a  ver}-  favourite 
dish  among  the  Turks.    We  turned  into  bed  early. 


58 


Emin  Pasha. 


for  I  was  tired,  having  come  sixteen  miles  in  the 
blazing  sun,  half  of  which  distance  I  had  done  on 
foot. 

Next  morning  we  started  off  at  four  o'clock. 
The  sun  had  not  yet  risen  and  it  was  beautifully 
fresh  and  cool.  The  country  we  passed  through  was 
very  pretty  and  slightly  hilly,  but  there  were  abso- 
lutely no  streams  on  the  way.  At  eight  o'clock  we 
stopped  in  a  village,  the  chief  of  which  was  Amadji, 
a  fine  high-bred  looking  young  fellow,  and  nicely 
dressed  in  well-cured  skins.  I  noticed  here  that  most 
of  the  women  had  a  peculiar  ornament  of  clear 
white  quartz  stuck  in  their  lips.  These  ornaments, 
clear  as  crystal  and  beautifully  polished,  were  some 
three  inches  long  and  moved  up  and  down  in  the  most 
comical  manner  when  the  wearer  was  speaking. 

Amadji  sent  ten  of  his  men  with  us,  each  carrying 
a  large  earthen  lota  of  water  to  give  our  people  to 
drink  on  the  way.  The  road  led  through  a  beautiful 
park-like  country,  and  along  the  ridge  of  5ome 
low  wooded  hills,  from  which  we  occasionally  got 
lovely  views  of  the  river.  We  reached  our  camping 
place  early,  which  was  in  a  fine  grove  of  tamarind 
trees,  and  Emin's  men  made  us  large  grass  huts  in  an 
incredibly  short  time.  Below  us  lay  the  river,  with 
its  banks  fringed  with  papyrus  swamps,  from  which, 
towards  evening,  clouds  of  mosquitos  and  insects  of 
all  sorts  rose  and  drove  us  at  an  early  hour  to  take 
refuge  under  our  mosquito  curtains. 

All  night  long  leopards  and  hyaenas  were  prowling 
about  the  camp,  and  several  times  during  the  night 
there  was  a  stir  to  drive  them  away.  The  next  day, 
after  going  about  a  couple  of  hours,  we  came  to  a 


Chief  Wadclai. 


59 


large  group  of  villages,  governed  by  a  chief  whose 
name  was  Wadelai.  The  district  round  and  Emin's 
station  were  called  after  hiin.  We  found  him  waiting 
for  us  in  front  of  one  of  the  villages  with  some  of  his 
chiefs.  He  was  an  enormously  fat  old  man,  with  a 
good-natured  face,  dressed  in  a  long  dirty  robe  like  a 
nightgown  ;  I  have  never  before  seen  a  native  so  fat, 
ordinarily  in  their  own  countries  they  are  thin. 

We  waited  here  for  some  time,  as  Emin  had  several 
matters  to  arrange  with  him.  "When  the  "  Shauri  " 
was  finished  we  started  on,  and  soon  got  a  distant 
view  of  Wadelai  station,  the  place  from  which  Emin 
last  wrote,  and  upon  which  the  attention  of  the 
civilized  world  was  fixed  when  we  left  England.  It 
was  situated  at  the  top  of  an  isolated  hill,  300  feet 
high,  which  rose  abruptly  from  the  river.  We 
passed  through  a  beautiful  little  acacia  forest,  the 
acacias  were  not  of  the  prickly  sort,  but  grew  into 
large  forest  trees.  There  was  no  undergrowth,  but 
only  grass,  upon  which  the  sunlight  fell  through  the 
trees  in  little  chequered  patches.  A  delightfully  cool 
breeze  blew  through  it,  and  tumbled  showers  of  white 
blossoms  about  us. 


1 


CHAPTER  III. 

FROM   WADELAI  TO  DUFILE. 

Arrival  at  Wadelai — Eiiiin's  compound  and  lioiise  -  Signer  Marco — 
Farida — Eniiii's  scientific    proclivities — AVadelai  Station— The 
AVa-huma — Reminiscences  of  Sir  Samuel  Baker— Nyadue,  or  the 
Morning  Star — Deputation  from  1st  Battalion — Endeavour  to 
relieve  Eort  Bodo — Faratch  Aga — State  of  affaiis  at  Rejaf  — 
Hamad  Aga's  estimate  of  Emin — Doubts  as  to  Eniin's  wisdom — 
Faratch  Aga's  shame — Emin  acts  a  farce  —  Ferocity  of  Crocodiles 
— Bali  crocodile-hunters — Answer    of    soldiers  of  Wadelai —  ' 
Eniiu's  ivory — Start  for  Dutile — Blocks  on  the  Xile — We  reach 
Dutile — Curious  custom — Description  of  Dufile  Station — Govern-  { 
ment  buildings — Hawashi  EH'endi — Hawashi  Elfendi's  estimate  > 
of  Egyptian  guile — An  Arab  feast — Hawashi  Effendi's  warning  . 
— More  doubts.  I 

At  11.30  we  reached  Wadelai.    The  soldiers  were  ^ 
all  drawn  up  and  saluted  their  Governor  in  the 
usual  way.    This  being  Emin's  head-quarters  and 
the   seat   of   government,    the   soldiers    were  all 
picked  men  and  were  much  better  dressed  than 
those   in   the   other    stations,    and   there   was  a 
perfect  regiment  of  clerks  and  officials  of  all  sorts 
dressed  in  flowing  white  cotton  cloth  robes.    A  guard 
of  honour,  playing  a  lively  tune,  escorted  us  through  | 
the  station  to  Emin's  divan,  which  was  a  large  round  ' 
hut  made  of  bamboo  ;  it  was  nicely  furnished  and  had 
a  homelike  air  about  it.    Two  large  bookcases  full  of  | 
books  greatly  added  to  the  look  of  comfort.  Here 
all  the  officials,  military  and  civil,  came  in  to  greet 


i 

( 
1 

I 

I 

I 


I 


i 


I 


i 


I 


I 


I 

] 


Emins  House  at  IVadelai. 


6i 


Emin  and  me,  and  the  usual  disagreeable  kissing 
of  hands  had  to  be  gone  through.  A  long  line  of 
them  entered  at  one  door  and  after  greeting  us 
passed  out  through  the  other.  This  ceremony  being 
over,  Signer  ]\larco,  a  Greek  merchant,  who  had 
formerly  come  into  the  Province  to  trade,  but  was 
now  an  enforced  resident,  as  all  the  roads  to  the 
coast  were  closed,  came  to  see  us.  He  looked 
after  the  Pasha's  house  and  transacted  his  private 
business  for  him  when  he  was  away.  He  now 
came  in  to  make  his  report,  and  brought  Emin's 
little  girl,  Farida,  with  him.  Some  years  before,  the 
Pasha  had  married  an  Abyssinian  lady,  and  by  this 
marriage  there  were  two  children,  a  boy  and  a  girl. 
The  boy  died  soon  after  he  was  born,  and  his  mother 
died  shortly  after  Farida' s  birth,  of  some  internal 
complaint. 

Emin,  who  seemed  to  be  very  devoted  to  the  child, 
brought  her  in  his  arms  to  see  me,  and  told  me  of  his 
wife's  death,  which  even  after  a  lapse  pf  three  years 
he  seemed  to  feel  very  deeply.  He  said,  "  The  little 
Farida  is  all  that  is  left  to  me  in  the  world  now." 
She  was  a  pretty  little  girl,  not  darker  in  complexion 
than  her  father,  and  greatly  resembling  him.  She 
was  dressed  picturesquely,  like  a  httle  Arab  girl,  but 
looked  exceedingly  delicate, 

A  nice  hut  had  by  the  Governor's  orders  been 
built  ready  for  me,  and  was  in  the  same  court- 
yard as  the  divan,  round  which  was  a  pretty  shady 
garden,  full  of  lime,  orange,  pomegranate  and 
custard-apple  trees,  all  in  full  bearing.  Some  fine 
flamboyant  and  acacia  trees,  of  a  species  which  grows 
in  Uganda,  were  also  planted  near  the  divan,  and 


62 


EmiiL  Pasha. 


gave  a  pleasant  shade.  In  the  middle  of  the  court- 
yard was  a  rain  gauge,  and  a  little  building  like 
a  summer-house,  in  which  were  Emin's  aneroids, 
wet  and  dry  thermometers  and  other  instruments. 
He  always  took  meteorological  observations  three 
times  a  day,  and  had  observations  for  the  last  seven 
or  eight  years  ;  these  notes  should  be  extremely  inter- 
esting and  valuable  to  scientists. 

Opening  from  this  outer  court  was  an  inner 
courtyard  enclosing  from  ten  to  fifteen  huts,  most 
of  which  were  occupied  by  Emin's  servants  and 
retainers  ;  there  were  also  numbers  of  granaries 
which  contained  corn  and  sesame  for  the  household. 
Chickens,  ducks,  goats,  guinea-fowls,  cats  and  dogs, 
grey  parrots  and  a  tame  eagle  wandered  about  this 
inner  court-yard.  It  was  a  perfect  little  village  in 
itself. 

My  hut  was  cool  and  nicely  furnished  in  a  rough 
Avay,  there  was  an  angarep,  and  native-made  chairs 
and  tables,  in  the  drawers  of  which  was  a  great 
collection  of  dried  frogs  and  beetles,  and  all  round  the 
walls  I  hung  some  magnificent  leopard  skins  which 
had  been  brought  me  as  presents  by  the  soldiers. 
There  was,  however,  an  unpleasant  smell,  and  going 
to  the  back  of  my  hut  to  see  what  it  was,  I  was 
further  reminded  of  Emin's  scientific  proclivities. 
There  lay  a  large  basket  full  of  imperfectly  cured 
skulls,  which  were  some  of  the  Pasha's  anthropo- 
logical specimens  of  the  different  tribes  in  his 
Province.  Their  destination  was  the  British 
Museum,  where  they  were  to  be  sent  for  comparison 
with  the  skulls  of  other  tribes.  I  felt  strongly 
tempted  to  throw  them  over  the  wall ;  but  remem- 


Cultivation  round  Wadelai. 


63 


bering  Emin's  tenderness  for  sucli  things,  and  tlie 
probable  labour  -^"itli  wliicli  lie  had  collected  them, 
I  sent  for  a  servant  and  they  Avere  removed  by 
several  black  women  with  much  talking  and  laughter. 

"Wadelai  itself  was  a  large  station,  and  must  have 
contained  nearly  2000  inhabitants  ;  it  had  fine  broad 
streets,  and  the  whole  was  surrounded  by  a  ditch  and 
earthworks.  At  each  corner  of  the  station,  the 
planning  of  which  showed  great  care,  were  small 
forts  flanking  the  ditch,  each  being  armed  with  a 
mountain  gun.  It  was  built  in  exactly  the  same  style 
as  M'swa  station,  which  I  have  already  described, 
and  was  situated  on  a  hill  rising  abruptly  from  the 
river,  which  was  divided  here  into  two  channels  by 
an  island  some  mile  and  a  half  long. 

The  country  opposite  was  exceedingly  beautiful, 
all  grass,  but  well  wooded  ;  it  sloped  gently  up  from 
the  river  till  it  formed  a  long  ridge  of  low  hills, 
beyond  which  is  the  country  of  the  Shulis,  one  of 
the  finest  and  most  peaceful  tribes  about  here.  The 
country  round  "Wadelai  is  occupied  by  the  Lur 
tribe,  which  also  possesses  a  small  tract  of  land  on 
the  other  side  of  the  river  between  it  and  the  hills. 
Here  also  were  a  good  many  of  the  AVa-huma  tribe,  or 
Wa-tusi  as  they  are  called  in  this  country,  of  whom 
Stanley  has  written.  They  are  a  nomadic  tribe, 
Avhose  onl}'  occupation  is  to  tend  their  flocks  and 
herds  ;  they  are  supposed  to  be  of  royal  blood, 
Stanley  calls  them  Shepherd  Kings. 

Years  ago,  Speke  started  a  theory  that  these 
Wa-huma  have  sprung  from  the  Galla  tribes,  but 
Emin  inclines  to  the  belief  that  the  Gallas  are  de- 
scendants of  the  Wa-huma. 


64 


Emin  Pasha. 


They  are  a  tall,  high-bred  looking  people,  with 
comparatively  sharp  noses  and  thin  lips,  a  great  con- 
trast to  the  Lurs,  who  are  as  a  rule,  a  short  thick-set 
race,  not  much  given  to  war,  but  intelligent  and  fairly 
industrious. 

All  round  the  station  were  extensive  fields  of  corn 
and  sesame  belonging  to  Emin's  people.    Sesame  is 


seeds  of  which  a  fine  oil  is  expressed,  and  is  much 
used  by  the  people  for  cooking. 

All  along  the  side  of  the  river,  for  a  distance 
of  two  miles,  lay  the  station  gardens,  in  which  were 
grown  a  variety  of  native  herbs  and  vegetables,  such 
as  onions,  tomatoes,  balmias,  kolokasias,  peas,  and 
several  sorts  of  beans. 

This  being  the  seat  of  government,  Emin  had  a 


Reminiscences  of  Sir  Samuel  Baker.  65 

great  deal  to  do,  and  immense  numbers  of  letters  to 
answer  which  had  accumulated  during  his  long 
absence.  Nearly  every  day  I  had  an  attack  of  fever, 
it  seemed  to  have  regularly  got  into  my  system. 
Emin,  who  is  a  doctor  of  the  old-fashioned  school, 
gave  me  a  strong  emetic  which  did  wonders,  and  for 
a  time  drove  away  the  fever. 

Even  during  the  few  weeks  I  had  been  in  the 
Province,  I  could  not  help  being  struck  with  the 
fact  that  nearly  all  the  good  and  lasting  things 
had  been  brought  into  the  Province  by  Sir  Samuel 
Baker.  I  constantly  heard  about  him  and  Lady 
Baker,  and  in  speaking  to  the  soldiers  many  of 
them  said,  with  an  air  of  pride,  "  We  are  not 
Gordon's  or  Emin's,  but  Baker's  soldiers."  Soldiers 
coming  from  Latooka  and  Unyoro  have  often  spoken 
to  me  about  the  Bakers,  he  as  Mlidju,  or  the 
Bearded  One,  and  Lady  Baker  as  Nyadue,  or  the 
Morning  Star,  by  which  name  she  was  called  in  ad- 
miration of  her  fair-haired  beauty.  Many  of  the  old 
soldiers  were  glad  enough  to  gossip  about  them. 
One  old  fellow  told  me  that  Baker  Pasha  was  a  real 
man,  and  always  led  his  own  men  in  a  fight  ; 
he  told  me  he  was  very  good  to  his  people, 
but  awfully  severe,  and  then  added,  with  a  smile, 
"  Baker  Pasha  was  the  head,  but  Nyadue  was 
the  hat,"  There  was  a  story  which  was  told 
about  Lady  Baker.  A  certain  Faratch  Aga,  a 
Soudanese  sergeant  belonging  to  Baker  Pasha's 
body  guard,  having  twice  deserted  was  condemned  by 
Baker  to  be  shot.  The  man  was  bound  to  a  tree,  and 
a  squad  of  soldiers  told  off  to  shoot  him.  Lady  Baker, 
hearing  of  this,  ran  out  of  her  hut  into  the  square,  her 


1 


66  Emin  Pasha. 

hair  flying  in  the  wind,  and  with  uplifted  hand 
stayed  the  execution  of  Faratch  until  she  had  pleaded 
for  his  pardon  from  Sir  Samuel  Baker.  The  man 
was  pardoned  and  released,  and  from  that  time  there 
was  no  more  devoted  servant  to  the  Bakers  than  he. 

I  cannot  vouch  for  the  truth  of  these  stories.  I 
merely  repeat  them  as  I  heard  them  whilst  gossiping 
with  Emin's  people.  But  though  the  work  which 
Baker  so  gallantly  begun  twenty  years  ago  was 
about  to  fall  to  the  ground,  his  name,  and  that  of 
Lady  Baker,  still  lived  fresh  in  the  memories  of  the 
people. 

Among  the  letters  Emin  found  awaiting  him  here 
on  his  arrival  was  one  from  Hamad  Aga,  the  Major 
of  the  rebellious  1st  Battalion  of  soldiers  in  Rejaf. 
This  man  had  always  been  loyal  to  Emin,  but  he  was 
quite  unable  to  stem  the  tide  of  rebellion  which  had 
been  stirred  up  by  the  Egyptian  officers,  and  had 
simply  been  swept  along,  against  his  will,  with  the 
flood.  He  wrote  to  say  that  the  officers  of  the  1st 
Battalion,  hearing  that  an  expedition  had  arrived  at 
the  south  end  of  the  lake,  with  ammunition  from 
Egypt,  to  the  people,  were  now  convinced  that  their 
Governor  had  been  right,  and  wished  to  apologize  for 
what  they  had  done,  and  make  their  submission  to 
him.  They  had  therefore  decided  to  send  him 
(Hamad  Aga),  Faratch  Aga,  a  captain,  Sheik 
Moorajan,  the  chief  priest,  and  a  lieutenant  as  their 
envoys  to  the  Governor,  to  ask  his  pardon,  and  to  beg 
him  to  come  down  to  Rejaf,  bringing  with  him  Mr. 
Stanley's  representative,  whom  they  were  all  desirous 
of  seeing.  Their  Governor  might  dictate  his  own 
terms  to  them,  and  they  would  obey  all  that  he 


I 


Deputation  from  \st  Battalion. 


67 


commanded.  Emin  therefore  decided  to  await  the 
coming  of  the  envoys,  who  were  to  arrive  in  ten  days' 
time.  He  was  at  that  time  exceedingly  ill.  There  was 
something  wrong  with  his  heart,  and  he  experienced, 
on  making  the  least  exertion,  great  difficulty  in 
breathing,  so  that  he  was  glad  to  remain  quiet  for  a 
few  days.  He  was  very  low  about  himself,  and  said 
that  unless  he  could  get  rest  and  quiet  in  a  cool 
climate,  he  felt  he  had  only  a  year  or  two  more  to 
live.  He  told  me  that  the  thirteen  years  of  hard 
work  and  anxiety  which  he  had  spent  in  Africa, 
especially  the  last  five  years  since  he  had  been 
abandoned  and  left  to  his  own  resources,  had  com- 
pletely worn  him  out. 

Mindful,  however,  that  time  was  slipping  on — it 
was  then  July  7th  -  and  there  were  only  a  few  weeks 
to  the  time  when  by  my  promise  to  Nelson  I  should 
be  nearing  Fort  Bodo,  I  spoke  to  the  people  about 
building  a  station  at  N'sabe,  and  going  on  with  me 
to  the  fort  to  bring  up  the  officers  and  goods.  To 
their  Governor  and  to  me  they  answered  that  before 
taking  any  steps  in  that  direction,  they  would  wish 
to  hear  what  their  "brethren"  in  the  northern 
stations  had  to  say  ;  moreover,  it  was  harvest-tim£, 
and  they  could  not  leave  before  reaping  their  crops. 
I  thought  this  a  somewhat  peculiar  answer  to  give  to 
an  order  from  their  Governor,  but  my  eyes  were  behig 
graduall}'  opened  to  the  fact  that  Emin  could  no 
longer  command  in  his  own  Province.  I  could  see 
that  the  2nd  Battalion,  in  whom  he  trusted,  were 
not  obedient  in  important  matters,  though  they  were 
ready  enough  to  bow  before  their  Governor,  and  do  his 
bidding  in  all  minor  details.    My  promise  had  been 

F  2 


68 


Emiii  Pasha. 


given  to  Stanley  that  should  Emin  give  me  sufficient 
soldiers  and  carriers,  I  would  relieve  Fort  Bodo,  and 
build  a  station  at  M'sabe,  Without  soldiers,  without 
carriers,  I  could  do  nothing  towards  fulfilling  my 
promise. 

I  could  only  therefore  go  on  to  the  northern 
stations,  speak  to  the  people  there,  and  then  return 
to  Wadelai,  to  again  urge  the  soldiers  to  help  me, 

Emin  seemed  very  hopeful  about  the  embassy 
which  was  coming  from  Rejaf.  We  heard  that  the 
officers  of  the  1st  Battalion  were  tired  of  the  longf 
reign  of  disorder  there,  that  all  the  natives  in  the 
country  round  had  retired,  owing  to  their  being 
badly  treated  by  the  rebels,  and  that  there  were  now 
no  cattle  to  be  got.  The  soldiers'  grain  crops  had 
moreover  failed,  owing  to  the  want  of  rain,  and 
things  there  were  in  a  generally  uncomfortable  state. 

It  appeared  that  this  Faratch  Aga,  who  was 
coming  to  see  Emin,  was  the  very  man  whom  Lady 
Baker  saved.  Knowing  of  his  devotion  to  the 
Bakers,  I  determined  to  use  it  as  a  sort  of  moral 
lever  to  move  him  to  act  loyally  to  his  Mudir.  Emin 
told  me  that  when  the  envoys  came,  he  did  not  wish 
to  see  them,  but  desired  me  to  see  them,  and  to  try  and 
show  them  the  enormity  of  their  crime  in  rebelling. 
He  intended  to  forgive  them  in  the  end,  if  he  felt 
sure  of  the  sincerity  of  their  expressions  of  regret  for 
what  they  had  done,  but  he  did  not  wish  to  appear 
to  forgive  them  too  easily.  After  speaking  to  them, 
he  wished  me  to  tell  them  that  their  GoX*-ernor 
was  very  incensed  against  them,  but  that  I  would 
iatercede  with  him  for  them.  It  was  a  farce,  but  as 
he  wished  it,  I  agreed  to  carry  it  out.    Soon  after 


Faratch  Aga. 


69 


the  oflBcers  arrived,  Hamad  Aga  came  in  to  see  me. 
He  was  a  tall,  tliin  Soudanese,  with  a  nice  expression 
and  grey  hair.  He  gave  me  a  short  account  of  all  that 
had  happened  at  Rejaf,  and  told  me  things  were  in 
a  very  bad  state  there,  and  that  there  was  little  or 
no  food  in  the  country  round,  owing  to  the  ill-treat- 
ment of  the  natives  by  the  rebels.  He  said  that  the 
soldiers  robbed  right  and  left,  and  no  one  was  able  to 
check  them,  that  they  were  ready  enough  to  obey 
their  officers  in  anything  that  was  bad,  but  if  any 
order  was  given  with  a  view  to  checking  the  whole- 
sale robbery  of  the  natives  it  was  totally  disregarded. 
He  deplored  the  influence  the  Egyptian  officers  and 
clerks  had  always  exercised  in  the  country,  and  said 
that  the  whole  of  the  mutiny  against  the  Governor 
in  Rejaf  had  been  stirred  up  by  an  Egyptian  officer, 
a  certain  Mustapha  Effendi,  who  had  been  sent  up  to 
the  Province  for  being  concerned  in  Arabi's  rebellion. 
He  spoke  very  highh^  of  Emin,  and  said  he  had 
always  been  most  self-sacrificing  to  his  people, 
but  that  he  was  not  firm  enough  with  them. 
These  people,  he  said,  required  the  rod,  and 
that  the  Governor  never  gave  them.  According 
to  Hamad  Aga  the  people  were  tired  of  the  long  reign 
of  confusion,  and  were  sincere  in  their  protestations 
of  amendment,  and  were  most  anxious  to  see  me  at 
Rejaf  and  hear  from  my  own  lips  our  story.  He 
^vound  up  by  saying,  "  All  will  come  right,  now  that 
)^ou  have  arrived."  This  I  very  much  doubted,  for 
I  was  getting  terribly  sceptical  about  these  people. 
On  the  one  side  T  had  the  Pasha,  with  his  vast 
experience,  assuring  me  that  his  people  were  good 
and  faithful,  and  to  back  up  what  he  said  there  was 


70 


Emiti  Pasha. 


the  fact  that  they  had  repulsed  the  attack  of  the 
Mahdi's  General  Keremallah.  and  had  held  the 
country  ever  since,  though  cut  off  from  all  supplies. 
Again,  too,  all  Europe  was  ringing  with  praises  of  the 
Pasha's  wisdom  and  firmness,  and  we  had  left  home 
and  people  with  the  strongest  enthusiasm  for  the 
man  who  for  so  many  years  had  held  out  against  all 
difficulties,  and  whom  we  believed  to  be  one  of  the  most 
sagacious  men  in  Africa,  On  the  other  side,  a  still 
small  voice  within  me  whispered,  "  Beware."  And 
yet,  I  thought,  who  am  I,  with  my  small  experience, 
to  set  up  my  opinion  against  that  of  this  man,  of 
world-wide  fame,  with  his  long  years  of  experience 
and  practical  administration  ?  Was  it  wonderful, 
therefore,  that  I  distrusted  my  own  judgment  and 
for  the  time  being  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  the  prompt- 
ing of  that  still  small  voice  ? 

After  Hamad  Aga  had  left  my  hut,  Faratch  Aga 
came  in  to  see  me,  bringing  me  a  present  of  some  finely 
carved  wooden  bowls  and  several  large  and  handsome 
Monbuttu  knives.  After  the  usual  compliments  had 
been  exchanged,  my  health  tenderly  inquired  after, 
and  I  had  admired  the  workmanship  of  the  presents, 
he  asked  me  about  the  Expedition.  My  story  was 
hardly  finished  when  he  inquired  eagerly  for  news 
of  Sir  Samuel  and  Lady  Baker,  if  I  knew  them,  and 
if  they  were  well.  Now,  I  thought,  is  the  time  to 
apply  the  moral  lever. 

I  told  him  that  the  eyes  of  all  Europe  were  upon 
this  Expedition,  and  doubtless  Sir  Samuel  Baker  was 
following  all  its  movements  with  the  deepest  interest 
and  would  be  one  of  the  first,  when  we  returned 
home,  to  ask  eagerly  for  news  of  his  former  Province 


Faratch  A  gas  Shame. 


71 


and  of  tlie  people  who  liad  fought  so  bravely  for 
him. 

I  added,  "  What  will  Baker  Pasha  say,  what  will 
N'yadue  think,  when  I  tell  them  you  have  joined 
the  mutineers  in  the  rebellion  against  your  Gover- 
nor ?  " 

The  tears  started  to  his  eyes,  and  he  wrung  his 
hands  with  a  gesture  of  shame  and  regret.  This 
was  evidently  his  vulnerable  point,  for  he  seemed  quite 
overcome  at  the  thought  of  the  Bakers  hearing  that 
he  had  joined  the  rebellion. 

He  told  me  he  had  joined  the  mutiny  and  put  his 
signature  to  the  insulting  letters  which  had  been 
sent  to  the  Governor,  not  because  he  had  felt  any 
enmity  against  the  Pasha,  but  because  he  had  weakly 
allowed  himself  to  be  led  on  by  the  others,  and  had 
not  sufficient  moral  courage  to  refuse  to  join  them. 

He  made  profuse  promises  of  amendment  for  the 
future,  and  implored  me  not  to  tell  Baker  Pasha  what 
he  had  done,  but  to  suspend  my  judgment  until  I  had 
seen  that  he  really  meant  to  be  loyal  after  this  to 
the  Governor,  and  cut  himself  off  from  his  former 
confederates. 

Next  morning  Hamad  Aga,  Faratch  Aga,  the 
priest,  and  the  other  officer  came  in  to  see  me,  and  I 
further  explained  to  them  all  about  the  Expedition. 
Emin  had  refused  to  see  them  when  they  arrived, 
and  they  now  asked  me  to  go  over  with  them  and 
intercede  with  him  on  their  behalf. 

Emin  received  them  coldly,  and  talked  with  them  a 
long  time,  upbraiding  them  with  their  treachery  and 
insubordination.  He  told  them  that  for  more  than 
three  years  they  had  disobeyed  his  orders  and  had 


72 


Emin  Pasha. 


refused  to  lielp  him,  and  now  that  relief  had  come  and 
he  no  longer  needed  their  help,  they  came  to  beg  his 
pardon.  He  ended  by  saying  he  would  have  nothing 
whatever  to  do  with  them,  which  considerably  surprised 
them,  and  made  them  more  humble  than  ever.  With 
tears  in  their  eyes  they  begged  him  to  forgive  them, 
and  made  all  sorts  of  promises  for  the  future  ;  how- 
ever he  still  refused  to  listen  to  them,  and  left  the  divan. 
I  then  told  them  I  could  quite  understand  the  Pasha's 
not  being  able  to  forgive  them,  for  rebellion  and  in- 
gratitude were  the  hardest  things  to  forgive.  I  told 
them  to  go  back  to  their  quarters,  and  I  would  try 
and  lessen  the  Pasha's  feeling  of  resentment  against 
them.  They  thanked  me  and  went  away  dejected 
but  hopeful.  It  was  Emin's  idea  that  if  they  were 
forgiven  too  cheaply  they  would  not  afterwards  value 
their  pardon  sufficiently. 

In  the  evening  I  heard  that  Hamad  Aga  had  been 
preaching  to  the  soldiers  and  telling  them  that 
they  must  not  get  drunk  while  I  was  in  the  station, 
for  it  would  be  terrible  for  the  Christian  to  see  them 
in  a  drunken  state.  Poor  simple  fellow  !  If  he  only 
knew  how  many  so-called  Christians  get  rich  in 
ivory  and  merchandise  by  importing  gin  and  making 
the  pagan  negroes  drunk  ! 

The  number  of  crocodiles  in  the  river  here  was  won- 
derful. In  the  daytime  the  sandbanks  in  the  river  were 
covered  with  them,  and  at  evening  they  might  be  seen 
swimming  about  in  the  river  with  their  noses  and 
heads  just  above  the  water.  They  were  very  fierce 
here,  and  large  numbers  of  women  and  children  were 
carried  off  by  them  every  year.  They  waited  till  the 
women  had  waded  into  the  river  up  to  their  knees, 


Bari  Crocodile-Jmnters. 


73 


to  draw  water  in  their  earthen  jars,  and  then  made  a 
dash  at  them  under  water  and  carried  thera  away. 
Emin  had  a  stockade,  such  as  one  sees  in  a  horse 
pond,  run  out  into  the  river  into  which  the  crocodiles 
were  unable  to  enter,  and  had  ordered  them  to  draw 
water  in  this  enclosure,  but  the  women,  for  some 
reason  or  other,  preferred  to  draw  water  from  the 
open  river,  the  result  was  that  numbers  of  them  were 
carried  away.  I  was  told  they  would  even  laugh 
and  joke  about  it,  and  on  entering  the  water  call  out, 
"  Are  you  not  hungry  ?  wouldn't  you  like  some  meat 
to-day?"  "With  such  people  it  was  useless  to  take 
precautions. 

There  was  at  that  time  in  the  station  a  family  of 
negroes,  belonging  to  the  Bari  tribe,  who  lived  en- 
tirely by  hunting  crocodiles.  The  meat  of  young 
crocodiles  they  ate,  the  skin  they  sold  for  leather, 
and  the  teeth  for  making  necklaces ;  but  the  part  which 
they  most  prized  was  a  small  gland  which  contained 
a  strong  secretion  of  musk ;  this  was  dried  and  hung 
round  the  neck,  and  was  greatly  valued  as  a  charm. 

They  had  a  small  boy  with  them,  whom  they  used 
to  send  into  the  water  as  a  decoy,  while  they  them- 
selves hid  in  the  grass.  As  soon  as  a  crocodile  made 
a  dash  at  the  boy,  they  rushed  into  the  water,  and 
buried  a  big  iron  hook  to  which  a  rope  was  attached 
in  the  folds  of  skin  under  its  neck,  and  having 
hauled  it  out  of  the  water,  beat  it  to  death  with 
clubs.  A  crocodile  was  caught  by  them,  and  they 
brought  it  up  to  my  hut  to  show  me.  It  was  alive, 
but  had  its  jaws  tied  round  with  rope  so  that  it  could 
not  bite.  After  I  had  examined  it,  I  undid  the  rope 
and  let  it  loose,  and  it  retired  into  a  corner  of  the 


74 


Emin  Pasha. 


compound  where  it  made  little  dashes,  and  snapped 
at  every  one  who  approached  it.  It  was  afterwards 
taken  away,  killed,  and  stuffed,  and  put  up  over 
the  gate  of  the  station.  Stuffed  crocodiles,  put  up 
over  the  entrance  of  a  courtyard  or  house,  were  sup- 
posed by  these  people  to  bring  good  luck.  I  noticed 
that  the  crocodiles  here  and  in  the  lake  were  of  a 
light  greenish  colour,  with  broad  bands  of  black 
round  them. 

Whilst  at  Wadelai  I  saw  a  curious  wedding  custom, 
which  prevails  among  the  Soudanese.  Two  Sou- 
danese were  to  be  married,  when,  on  the  evening 
before  the  wedding,  a  number  of  young  Soudanese 
gathered  in  front  of  the  bride's  hut,  and  forming  a 
circle,  began  to  sing  and  whip  each  other  with 
hippopotamus  hide  whips  until  the  blood  came.  This, 
it  appears,  was  to  show  the  bride  what  a  plucky  race 
her  husband  was  sprung  from. 

After  a  few  days  Emin  sent  for  Hamad  Aga  and 
the  other  officers  from  Rejaf,  and  said  he  had 
decided  to  forgive  them  if  he  found  they  were  sincere 
in  their  protestations  ;  and  he  would  accompany  them 
to  Rejaf,  where  I  would  speak  to  the  people.  They 
all  professed  to  be  exceedingly  grateful  and  glad 
that  we  were  to  go  to  Rejaf. 

Hamad  Aga  every  day  came  in  to  see  me,  and 
from  the  many  conversations  I  had  with  him,  I 
learned  he  was  one  of  those  who  did  not  like  Egypt, 
and  had  no  wish  to  go  there.  He  said  it  would  be 
far  better  for  the  people  that  we  should  take  them 
to  some  good  country  within  reach  of  the  sea,  and 
settle  them  there.  This  was  the  second  time  one  of 
Emin's  officers  had  made  this  proposition. 


Curious  Wedding  Custom. 


?5 


As  it  was  decided  that  we  were  to  go  on  to  Dufile 
on  our  way  to  Rejaf,  I  addressed  the  soldiers  and 
employes  before  leaving  the  station.  There  were 
over  200  soldiers  here  and  a  regiment  of  clerks  and 
employes,  and  it  was  quite  a  business  speaking  to 
them  and  getting  their  decision  on  the  subject  of 
leaving  or  remaining. 

I  addressed  thera  much  in  the  same  way  as  I  had 
done  at  Tunguru,  and  asked  them  to  come  in  the 
day  following  to  give  me  their  views  about  the 
evacuation  of  the  Province. 

They  all  said,  as  the  people  at  Tunguru  had  said, 
"  We  will  follow  our  Governor  ;  if  he  goes,  we  go  ;  if 
he  stays,  we  stay." 

Kodi  Aga,  who  was  the  chief  of  the  station,  a  man 
in  whom  Emin  placed  great  reliance,  came  to  me 
afterwards  and  said  he  thought  it  would  be  well  for 
the  people  to  follow  us  to  some  country  nearer 
civilization,  where  they  could  settle  down.  He  said 
that  the  people  could  never  support  their  women  and 
children  in  Egypt,  and  they  would  not  be  willing  to 
give  them  up.  He  added,  that  of  course  the 
Egyptians  and  such  people  as  had  relations  there 
would  prefer  to  go  to  Egypt.  This  was  the  third 
time  this  proposition  had  been  made  to  me,  so  I  could 
only  infer  that  the  feeling,  at  any  rate,  of  the  people 
in  this  part  of  the  Province  was  against  going  to 
Egypt. 

I  again,  therefore,  had  the  Soudanese  officers  and 
non-commissioned  officers  up  before  me,  and,  speaking 
to  them  said,  "  From  what  I  have  heard  from  certain 
officers,  T  understand  that  it  is  not  your  wish  and 
that  of  the  soldiers  to  go  to  Egypt,  but  to  follow  us 


76 


Emin  Pasha. 


with  your  Governor  to  a  country  somewhat  nearer 
the  sea,  and  there  to  settle  down.  Is  this  vour 
wish  ?  "  I  was  answered  by  a  deafening  "  Aywah  " 
from  all. 

This  answer  was  conclusive.  The  feeling  was 
evidently  against  going  to  Egypt. 

The  Eg^'-ptians,  Circassians,  and  Khartoum  people, 
however,  naturally  wished  to  return  to  Egypt,  where 
most  of  them  had  relations  and  friends. 

Before  leaving  the  station,  Kodi  Aga  took  me 
round  the  storehouses  and  showed  me  the  govern- 
ment ivory,  of  which  there  were  vast  quantities,  all 
arranged  in  different  heaps,  according  to  the  size  of 
the  tusks.  There  was  one  tusk  shown  me  which 
weighed  140  lbs.,  and  was  the  largest  tusk  I  have 
ever  seen  in  Africa.  Emin  told  me  there  were  large 
stores  of  ivory  also  in  Dufile,  and  he  had  some- 
where about  1000  tusks  in  Monbuttu,  which  he  had 
left  in  charge  of  one  of  the  friendly  chiefs  of  that 
country.  The  value  of  the  irory  in  government  store- 
houses, he  said,  was  75,000Z.,  but  this  was  estimating 
it  at  the  rate  of  8s.  a  pound,  but  as  the  price  of 
ivory  is  now  12s.  a  lb.  at  the  coast,  it  would  make 
the  real  value  of  the  ivory  in  the  Province  112,250/. 

All  this  ivory  would  have  to  be  abandoned,  as  we 
could  never  carry  it  down  to  the  coa^t.  It  was 
srrievous  that  so  much  monev  should  have  to  be 
thrown  away. 

The  Pasha  told  me  he  had  for  three  years  given 
up  collecting  ivory,  as  he  knew  it  would  never  be  of 
any  use  to  him  ;  and  had  he  continued  to  collect  it,  he 
would  have  had  double  the  amount. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  July  16th  we  started  in 


Emitis  Ivory. 


77 


the  steamer  for  Dufile,  whicli  was  sixty  geographical 
miles  distant  from  "Wadelai.  The  navigation  of  the 
upper  river  ends  there,  for  a  few  miles  below  Dufile 
there  are  large  cataracts,  and  the  river  flows 
between  two  long  ranges  of  mountains  in  a  series 
of  falls  and  cataracts  as  far  as  Regaf,  where  it 
again  widens  out,  and  is  open  for  navigation  right 
down  to  Khartoum.  "We  therefore  had  to  make 
considerable  preparations  for  a  march  of  seventy-five 
geographical  miles  overland  to  Rejaf. 

The  river  between  AVadelai  and  Dufile  is  extremely 
difficult  for  navigation,  as  it  divides  into  innumerable 
channels,  forming  islands  overgrown  with  reeds  and 
papyrus,  among  which  a  steamer  has  to  thread  her 
way  most  carefully. 

Here  and  there  the  river  broadens  out,  forming 
large  lagoons,  in  which  are  to  be  seen  numerous 
herds  of  hippopotami,  plunging  and  diving,  and 
sending  up  large  jets  of  spray  from  their  noses. 

Heavy  rains  must  have  been  falling  in  the  coun- 
tries drained  by  the  higher  waters  of  the  river,  for  in 
a  couple  of  days  it  had  risen  nearly  two  feet,  and  had 
become  a  deep  chocolate  colour.  The  current  also 
was  considerably  more  rapid,  and  the  whole  face  of 
the  river  was  covered  with  floating  vegetation, 
which  in  some  places  formed  small  floating  islands, 
on  which  I  saw  herons  and  different  kinds  of  water- 
fowl seated.  It  is  this  floating  vegetation  which 
forms  huge  blocks  in  the  Nile ;  these  in  times  gone  by, 
when  steamers  were  running  between  the  upper 
Provinces  and  Khartoum,  used  to  stop  navigation 
sometimes  for  months.  The  last  block  which 
occurred  took  Lupton  Bey  two  years  and  a  half  to 


78 


Emin  Pasha. 


clear  away  with  two  steamers.  Large  iron  hooks 
fastened  at  the  end  of  strong  ropes  were  used  in  this 
work.  These  were  hooked  into  the  compressed  vege- 
tation, which  was  dragged  away  by  the  steamers  and 
allowed  to  drift  down  the  river.  So  compact  were 
these  blocks,  that  dead  crocodiles  and  hippopotami 
were  frequently  found  when  clearing  away  the  vege- 
tation, into  which  they  had  been  carried  by  the 
current  and  were  unable  to  extricate  themselves. 

On  the  way  to  Dufile  we  were  obliged  to  stop  at  a 
place  called  Bora,  to  take  in  a  fresh  supply  of  wood, 
which  was  brought  down  to  the  steamer  by  natives 
of  the  Shuli  tribe.  They  were  fine,  strong,  well-deve- 
loped men,  with  pleasant,  good-natured  faces  ;  but 
had  not  a  vestige  of  clothing  on  them,  except  a  few 
necklaces  made  of  crocodile  teeth. 

The  surrounding  country  was  rather  fine,  great 
rolling  grass  savannahs  dotted  about  with  Palmyra 
palms.  These  bear  a  large  orange  fruit,  which 
grows  in  clusters  like  cocoa-nuts,  and  are  about  the 
same  size.  They  have  a  strong  smell,  very  like  a 
melon.  They  contain  a  large  white  kernel,  round 
which  grows  a  sort  of  orange,  stringy  flesh,  which 
Emin's  people  make  into  a  kind  of  sherbet.  It  has 
a  sweet,  bitter  taste,  which  is  ver}^  sickly.  The 
natives  grind  the  kernel  into  flour  which  they  mix 
with  millet  flour  and  make  into  cakes. 

All  day  we  steamed  down  the  river,  the  banks  of 
which  were  fringed  with  vast  papyrus  swamps,  and 
camped  at  8  p.m.  on  the  first  solid  ground  we  reached. 

Here  mosquitoes  abounded  in  such  numbers,  and 
were  so  fierce  that  we  were  glad  to  retire  behind  our 
mosquito  curtains  as  soon  as  dinner  was  finished. 


Arrival  at  Dufile. 


79 


Next  morning,  earlj,  we  steamed  away,  and  the 
river  again  formed  into  one  cliannel  and  was  very 
broad  and  fine.  Great  numbers  of  water-birds, 
herons,  pehcans,  storks,  cranes,  and  divers  perched 
upon  the  rocks,  of  which  there  were  a  good  many, 
rising  from  the  bed  of  the  river.  Ducks,  geese, 
and  moor-hens  abounded  along  the  banks,  which  are 
here  covered  with  small  forests  of  Ambatch.  The 
wood  of  this  tree  is  lighter  than  cork,  and  is  used  by 
the  natives  for  making  floats  for  their  fishing  lines 
and  baskets. 

At  midday,  on  July  14th,  we  steamed  into  Dufile, 
which  was  the  largest,  and  one  of  the  oldest  established 
of  Emin's  stations.  The  original  station  was  built 
by  Gordon  ;  but  Emin,  finding  it  unhealthy,  moved 
it  a  few  hundred  yards  up  river,  where  the  banks 
were  higher.  Two  wharves  built  of  piles  ran  out  into 
the  river,  and  against  these  the  two  steamers  were 
able  to  lie. 

The  soldiers  were  all  drawn  up  in  two  lines,  and 
gave  us  the  usual  salute  when  we  landed,  the 
Khedivial  Hymn  being  played  by  the  trumpeters. 
As  I  landed  from  the  steamer  the  soldiers  cut  the 
throat  of  a  bullock,  and  I  was  made  to  step  over  the 
blood,  which  flowed  from  it  in  streams.  This,  they 
told  me,  was  the  custom  among  the  people  when  they 
wished  to  welcome  with  honour,  a  stranger  coming 
into  the  country  for  the  first  time. 

We  were  escorted  by  the  usual  guard  of  honour, 
into  a  large  square,  in  the  middle  of  which  there  were 
some  large  trees  of  the  fig  tribe,  and  under  these  was 
a  raised  platform  made  of  earth  and  enclosed  by 
brick  walls  about  a  foot  high,  looking  like  a  band 


8o 


Emin  Pasha. 


stand.  Here  chairs  were  placed  ready  for  us.  "We 
sat  down,  and  sherbet  being  served,  the  station 
officials  came  to  greet  us.  We  then  went  to  our 
houses,  which  were  situated  in  a  compound  some 
hundred  feet  square,  and  surrounded  by  a  boma  of 
bamboos  eight  feet  high.  The  houses  set  apart  for 
the  Pasha  and  me  were  exceedingly  well  built,  and 
were  lofty  and  cool.    The  walls  were  three  feet  six 


LAXLilXi,    AT    M  FILL. 


thick,  and  built  of  sun-dried  bricks;  there  were 
proper  doors  and  windows  with  folding  shutters,  and 
the  floor  was  strewn  with  clean  white  sand ;  they 
were  the  best  houses  I  had  seen  in  the  Province. 
The  other  huts  in  the  compound  were  for  the 
kitchen,  orderlies  and  servants.  Growing  imme- 
diately behind  the  huts  were  two  tall  palmyra  palms 
upon  which  numbers  of  herons  roosted  at  night,  and 
disturbed  us  by  their  angry  croaking. 


Plan  of  DufiU  Shition. 


8i 


In  the;  cool  of  the  afternoon  Hawashi  Effendi  came 
over  to  show  me  round  the  station.  It  was  a  large 
square,  well-planned  station,  surrounded  on  three 
sides  by  a  ditch  twelve  feet  deep,  and  fifteen  feet 
broad ;  the  soil  which  was  dug  out  of  the  ditch 
being  thrown  up  inside,  forming  earthworks  some 
eight  feet  high  ;  the  fourth  side  was  bounded  by  the 
river.  At  each  corner  of  the  station  was  a  raised 
bastion  on  which  was  a  mountain  gun,  these  bastions 
flanked  the  earthworks  and  commanded  the  ditch. 
Two  main  roads  ran  crossways  through  the  station, 
that  running  up  from  the  river  terminating  in  a  large 
postern-gate,  which  also  served  for  a  guard-room. 
This  was  the  chief  entrance  of  the  station.  The  other 
road  ran  at  right  angles  to  this,  both  ends  termi- 
nating in  small  postern-gates,  and  being  side  entrances 
to  the  station.  These  gateways  were  guarded  by 
heavy  wooden  gates  studded  with  iron.  The  station, 
if  defended  by  a  determined  garrison,  would  be  im- 
pregnable, for  there  were  no  hills  near  from  which  it 
could  be  commanded. 

At  the  intersection  of  these  cross-roads  was  a  large 
square,  in  the  centre  of  which  were  three  enormous 
fig-trees.  Under  these  was  the  raised  platform  I 
before  mentioned.  So  dense  was  the  shade,  that  on 
the  hottest  day  it  was  always  cool  and  dark  under 
these  trees.  This  was  the  general  meeting-place  of 
the  officers,  where  they  met  in  the  evening  to  smoke 
and  gossip. 

Under  these  trees,  Baker,  Gordon,  Gessi,  Prout, 
Mason  Bey,  and  all  the  celebrities  of  the  Equa- 
torial Province,  have  sat  and  talked,  as  they  had  their 

coffee  and  cigarettes  and  settled  the  affairs  of  the 

G 


n 

1 


pr-AN  OF  nrFiLic  station. 


I 


Description  of  Dufile  Station. 


83 


Province.  Here  too,  poor  Lucas  sat  with  Emin,  and 
talked  sadly  of  the  disappointment  of  his  hopes  and 
the  ruin  of  his  Expedition.  Emin  had  a  hundred 
stories  of  the  conversations  which  had  passed 
beneath  these  trees  ;  of  the  times  when  Gordon  sat 
there  with  his  map  and  compasses,  and  unfolded  to 
him  plans,  sometimes  romantic  and  high-flown,  but 
always  bearing  the  stamp  of  genius  upon  them. 
Scenes  were  soon  to  be  enacted  beneath  these  trees 
which  would  throw  all  others  into  the  shade. 

On  one  side  of  the  square  was  situated  Emin's 
compound,  and  on  the  opposite  side  was  a  large 
compound  containing  numbers  of  huts,  which  had 
been  built  for  Stanley  and  his  people  under  the 
supposition  that  they  would  visit  the  station.  Look- 
ing south  was  the  compound  of  Hawashi  Effendi,  the 
chief  of  the  station  ;  in  this  compound  was  a  beautiful 
shady  grove  of  large  orange  and  lime  trees  all  in  full 
bearing,  and  loaded  with  fruit. 

On  the  side  of  the  square  nearest  the  river,  the 
road  broadened  out  towards  the  mosque,  schools  and 
Government  gardens,  and  a  lovely  view  of  the  river 
might  be  obtained  down  the  road,  which  was  arched 
over  by  magnificent  trees.  The  mosque  and  schools 
were  fine  buildings  in  brick.  Both  school  and 
mosque  were  presided  over  by  a  priest,  who  Emin 
told  me  had  been  banished  here  for  being  concerned 
in  a  murder  case  in  Egypt.  He  now  taught  the 
children  of  the  officials  to  read  and  write  from  the 
Koran,  he  had  prayers  as  prescribed  five  times  a 
day,  and  was  the  spiritual  adviser  and  lawyer  of  the 
station. 

The  Government  buildings  were  all  built  in  brick,  in 

G  2 


84 


Emin  Pasha. 


a  firm,  solid  style,  and  the  mosque  was  really  a  triumph 
of  architecture  for  this  out-of-the-way  country.  It  was 
a  large  square  building,  neatly  finished  and  white- 
washed, and  carpeted  all  over  with  a  very  nice  kind 
of  matting  which  was  made  in  the  country.  It  was 
further  decorated  with  numbers  of  ostrich  eggs, 
which  were  suspended  in  mid-air  from  the  roof,  the 
apex  of  the  roof  outside  was  also  decorated  with  ostrich 
eggs.  These  eggs  were,  I  believe,  the  recognized 
decoration  for  mosques,  but  I  do  not  know  what  they 
are  supposed  to  represent.  Facing  the  river  were  the 
Government  Gardens  which  were  full  of  fine  fruit 
trees  and  vegetables,  the}'  were  extremely  shady  and 
pretty,  and  were  very  well  kept. 

Between  the  gardens  and  the  river  ran  a  kind  of 
broad  esplanade,  on  which  were  situated  the  boat- 
building sheds  and  stores  for  spare  machinery,  bolts, 
iron  bars,  and  tools  of  all  sorts,  remains  of  the  vast 
stores  which  were  brought  up  by  Sir  Samuel  Baker. 
There  was  a  boat  on  the  slip  almost  ready  for 
launching,  she  was  of  the  pattern  of  the  ordinary 
Nile  nuggar,  with  no  ribs,  but  built  of  thick  rough 
planks  held  together  by  heavy  iron  bolts.  Emin  had 
built  a  good  many  of  these,  and  had  found  them  very 
useful,  as  the  two  whale-boats  brought  up  by  Sir 
Samuel  Baker  were  somewhat  worn  out  and  unsafe. 

There  were  large  gardens  belonging  to  the  officials, 
all  round  the  outside  of  the  station,  containing  big 
patches  of  peas,  beans,  onions,  garlic,  balmias, 
endive,  and  spinach,  and  amongst  these  gardens  were 
great  numbers  of  orange,  lime,  pomegranate,  cus- 
tard-apple, guava,  and  papai  trees,  all  bearing 
freely.    In  the  swampy  ground  along  the  river's  edge 


Hawashi  E^endi. 


85 


were  large  plantations  of  bananas  and  sugar-cane. 
For  a  radius  of  two  miles  round  the  station  were  vast 
fields,  in  Avliich  the  station  people  grew  ground-nuts, 
millet,  red  and  white  dhurra,  tullaboon,  sesame,  and 
Indian  corn. 

All  these  products  did  remarkably  well  here,  and 
wheat  and  rice  fairly  so,  but  these  latter  were  not 
grown  in  any  quantities. 

Near  the  station  was  a  market-place,  where  meat, 
salt,  vegetables,  mats,  etc.,  were  sold.  Here  also 
were  bootmakers'  and  carpenters'  shops,  and  sheds 
where  mats  and  cotton  cloth  were  made.  Small 
villages  belonging  to  the  Madi  tribe  were  built  near 
the  station  ;  these  people  lived  under  the  immediate 
protection  of  the  station,  and  acted  as  porters  or  in- 
terpreters when  required.  The  place  was  thoroughly 
well  kept  up,  and  the  station  neat  and  clean,  being  swept 
twice  a  day.  In  fact  the  whole  station  was  as  com- 
plete as  it  was  possible  to  make  it  in  this  country,  where 
people  had  been  left  to  depend  on  their  own  resources 
for  so  long  a  time.  There  were  abundance  of  cattle  and 
goats,  corn  and  vegetables,  and  the  people  lived  in  a 
luxury,  which  they  could  never  afford  in  Egypt,  The 
Pasha  had  every  reason  to  be  proud  of  this  station, 
which  he  had  taken  so  much  trouble  to  develop. 

As  evening  drew  on  we  sat  under  the  trees  in  the 
square,  and,  when  coffee  and  cigarettes  had  been 
served,  Hawashi  Effendi  came  up  to  gossip. 

This  man  was  an  Egyptian,  a  bimbashi  or  IVIajor, 
and  was  the  senior  officer  of  Emin's  troops.  He  was 
banished  here  for  selling  government  stores  to  the 
enemy,  in  the  war  against  Abyssmia.  Like  most 
Egyptians,  he  was  a  great  scoundrel  ;  but,  unlike  the 


86 


Emin  Pasha. 


usual  type,  he  worked  himself,  and  made  others  uuder 
him  work  too.  He  was  greatly  disliked  by  his  people, 
for  he  was  exceedingly  high-handed  and  grasping;  but 
he  was  most  useful  to  Emin,  for  he  obeyed  orders, 
and  if  the  Pasha  told  him  to  do  a  thing,  Emin  knew  it 
would  be  done. 

There  was  something  very  cynical  about  Hawashi 
Effendi's  scoundrelism,  he  was  not  the  least  ashamed 
of  it.  He  was  telling  me  what  blackguards  the 
Egyptians  were,  upon  which  Emin  looked  at  him  and 
asked,  "  And  you?"  "  Oh,"  said  Hawashi  EfPendi, 
"  you  know,  your  Excellency,  I  am  just  as  bad  as  the 
rest."  Turning  to  me,  he  went  on  to  say,  "  You  are 
quite  a  stranger  in  this  country,  so  bear  in  mind  what 
T  am  going  to  tell  you,  and  be  warned  by  what  I  say. 
In  this  country  there  are  only  Soudanese  and  Egyp- 
tians. If  a  Soudanese  comes  at  you  with  scow^ls  on 
his  face  and  a  loaded  gun,  whilst  on  the  other  hand 
an  Egyptian  comes  to  you  with  a  carpet  and  a 
friendly  salutation,  turn  to  the  Soudanese,  he  with  his 
loaded  gun  will  do  you  less  harm  than  the  Egyptian 
with  his  smiles  and  carpet." 

HawashiEffendigavea  verysmart  dinner  that  night 
in  my  honour.  Chairs  were  placed  in  his  divan  round 
a  small  low  table  upon  which  was  a  large  brass  tray. 
Round  this  Emin  and  myself,  Hawashi  Effendi, 
Hamad  Aga,  and  Vita  Hassan,  the  apothecary,  sat 
and  dipped  our  fingers  into  the  dishes  of  food  which 
were  brought. 

The  great  dish,  the  f)iece  de  resistance,  was  a 
goat  roasted  whole  and  stuffed  with  onions,  ground- 
nuts and.  beans.  Hawashi  Effendi  seized  it  in  his 
hands  and  wrenched  off  the  legs  and  shoulders  ;  he 
then  broke  its  back,  pouring  out  all  the  stuffing 


An  Aral)  Dinner. 


87 


from  the  stomach  into  the  dish.  It  was  a  highly 
unappetizing-looking  operation,  for  the  grease  oozed 
through  his  fingers  as  he  tore  it  to  pieces.  This 
dish,  however,  I  found  very  good  eating,  particularly 
the  stuffing  of  grouud-nuts.  There  were  a  great 
number  and  variety  of  dishes,  some  of  which  were 
rather  liquid  and  sloppy,  and  I,  being  unused  to  this 
style  of  eating,  found  some  difficulty  in  getting  the 
food  to  my  mouth.  The  great  fault  in  the  cooking 
was  that  everything  was  swimming  with  butter  or 
oil,  and  as  it  is  considered  the  height  of  bad  manners 
not  to  eat  freely  of  every  dish  your  host  provides,  I 
rose  from  dinner  with  the  feeling  of  being  perfectly 
stuffed.  After  dinner  basins  were  brought  round, 
and  a  sort  of  bean  powder,  which  forms  a  lather  like 
soap,  Avas  provided  to  wash  our  hands  with.  When 
coffee  had  been  served  I  took  my  pipe  and  went  out- 
side, where  I  had  a  long  conversation  with  Hawashi 
Effendi  about  affairs  in  the  Province.  He  had  a  bad 
word  to  say  for  most  people,  but  spoke  well  of  the 
Pasha,  though  he  said  he  was  not  sufficiently  firm 
with  the  people,  who  imposed  on  him  by  their  polite- 
ness and  protestations  of  loyalty,  while  all  the  time 
they  were  working  and  intriguing  against  him.  He 
said  that  though  he  did  not  like  Hamad  Aga,  the 
Major  of  the  1st  Battalion,  he  thought  he  was  to  be 
trusted,  though,  he  added,  "  He  has  no  influence  with 
his  officers  or  soldiers." 

In  the  soldiers  and  officers  he  had  no  confidence, 
and  warned  me  to  be  careful  how  the  Governor  and  I 
ventured  amongst  them.  He  wondered,  he  said,  why 
we  should  go  down  there.  I  explained  to  hiTa  that 
the  soldiers  in  the  southern  stations  had  refused  to 
help  me  to  build  a  station  at  N'sabe  and  relieve  Fort 


88 


Emin  Pasha. 


Bodo  until  tliey  had  heard  what  their  brethren  in 
the  northern  stations  of  Rejaf  and  Kirri  had  said. 
And  T  told  him  that  the  Pasha  considered  there  was 
nothing  for  us  to  do  but  to  go  down  and  see  them. 
He  concluded  by  saying  that  now  I  had  come, 
he  trusted  all  would  be  well,  but  warned  me  to 
be  careful  how  the  Governor  and  I  trusted  ourselves 
among  the  soldiers  of  the  1st  Battalion. 

This  conversation  had  a  great  effect  on  me,  for  it 
strengthened  the  doubt,  which  was  daily  growing 
stronger  in  my  mind,  that  Emin  had  not  grasped  the 
situation,  and  did  not  really  know  his  people.  Stray 
words  which  had  been  let  drop  by  different  people, — 
words  which  at  the  time  had  not  conveyed  much 
meaning  to  my  mind,  kept  rising  before  me,  as  I  lay 
awake  all  night,  thinking,  thinking,  thinking.  Ah  ! 
for  five  minutes  only,  now,  with  Stanley,  to 
listen  to  his  clear  shrewd  advice.  In  five  minutes 
he  would  have  grasped  the  situation,  and  told 
me  promptly  how  to  act.  And  yet  he  had  told 
me  to  be  guided,  more  or  less,  by  Emin.  The 
question  in  my  mind  was,  should  I  be  guided  more, 
or  should  I  allow  myself  to  be  guided  less,  by  what 
he  said.  I  had  too  little  faith  in  my  own  judgment 
and  experience,  and  could  not  decide  the  question. 
Looking  back  on  it  all  now,  and  knowing  what  I  do  of 
Emin's  people,  my  wonder  is  that  I  should  have 
hesitated  a  moment.  Yet  had  I  gone  against  Emin's 
advice  and  judgment,  I  should  have  had  to  reverse 
all  our  preconceived  ideas  of  him,  and  the  opinion  of 
all  Europe.  It  may  be  understood  that  that  was  a 
difficult  leap  to  take,  and  I  required  further  confirma- 
tion of  my  doubts  before  taking  the  plunge. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


TROUBLE  IMPENDING. 

We  start  for  Rejaf — A  herd  of  elephants — Country  near  Dufile 
cataracts — CliOr  Ayu — Labore  station — Selim  Aga — Donkeys  of 
the  country — Ban  women — Arrival  at  Muggi — Abdullah  Aga 
Manzal — Thievish  propensities  of  Emin's  soldiers — Arrival  at 
Kirri — Bachit  Aga — Gordon's  favourite  amusement — Bari  or- 
naments and  dress — State  of  the  country  occupied  by  1st 
Battalion — The  soldiers  of  Kirri  distrust  us — Speaking  to  the 
people  of  Kirri— Makraka  music  and  dance—  Letter  from  Hamad 
Aga — Contirmation  of  my  worst  fears — Insubordination  of  the 
soldiers  of  Kirri — Our  return  to  ]\Iugi>i— Alarming  news  from 
Kirri — Emin's  sad  story — Solditrs  of  Rejaf  come  to  see  P>min — 
Emin's  confidence  in  his  soldiers — Kews  from  Hawashi  Effendi 
—  Story  of  Taha  Mahomet — Strangers  in  Latooka — Bari  chief's 
generosity — My  servant  Binza  prays — Possible  return  of  the 
Mahdists — Evacuation  of  ^luggi  begun — Satisfactory  condition 
of  country  round  Muggi — Good  influence  of  Abdullah  Aga 
Manzal. 

I  EOSE  on  the  morning  of  July  17th,  dejected  and 
depressed,  and  while  we  drank  our  coffee  before 
starting  on  the  march,  I  ventured  to  tell  Emin  of  my 
conversation  with  Hawashi  Effendi  the  evening 
before.  He  affected  to  make  light  of  it,  but  told  me 
he  had  decided  not  to  go  straight  down  to  Rejaf,  but 
to  remain  at  Kirri,  a  station  two  days'  march  this 
side  of  Regaf ,  and  send  on  Hamad  Aga,  and  the  other 
officers  to  tell  the  officers  of  the  1st  Battalion  of  their 
meeting  with  us.    After  doing  this,  Hamad  Aga  was 


go 


Emm  Pasha. 


to  send  us  a  letter  to  Kirri,  telling  us  what  lie  thought 
about  the  position. 

Somewhat  reassured  by  this  plan,  we  started  off  on 
our  march  to  Chor  Ayu,  a  small  station  seventeen 
miles  from  Dufile,  situated  at  the  junction  of  the 
river  Aju  with  the  Nile. 

Our  caravan  was  quite  an  imposing  one,  there 
were  over  200  porters,  so  that  with  the  clerks, 
officers,  soldiers,  and  servants,  there  must  have  been 
400  people.  We  marched  out  of  the  station  between 
two  lines  of  soldiers,  flags  were  flying  and  trumpets 
sounding,  and  m^j  feeling  of  depression  soon 
vanished  as  we  rode  along  through  the  cool  morning 
air.  For  nearly  an  hour  we  passed  through  the 
fields  of  corn,  etc.,  belonging  to  the  station.  I 
was  surprised  at  the  extent  of  the  cultivation 
here  ;  this  station  would,  I  think,  have  been  self- 
supporting  even  Avithout  the  native  grain  tax.  We 
got  a  fine  view  of  the  station  with  its  fields  of  corn 
lying  below  us  in  peace  and  plenty  as  we  reached  the 
summit  of  a  low  hill,  before  descending  by  a  steep 
and  broken  path  into  the  valley  beyond.  The  road 
lay  through  a  plain  between  the  river  and  a  high 
chain  of  mountains  which  ran  parallel  to  it.  It  was 
well  clothed  with  trees,  chiefly  of  the  acacia  tribe, 
and  intersected  here  and  there  by  small  mountain 
streams  which  cut  deep  beds  in  the  rocky  soil. 

On  passing  through  a  grassy  gorge  we  came  upon 
numberless  signs  of  elephants  in  the  shape  of  broken 
trees,  soil  torn  up,  and  a  broad  track  made  by  the 
passage  of  many  feet.  In  a  few  minutes  we  saw  a 
sight  such  as  I  had  never  seen  before.  Close  to  our 
left,  and  moving  parallel  to  us,  was  an  immense  herd 


A  Herd  of  Elephants. 


91 


of  nearly  200  elephants.  People  avIio  have  never 
seen  a  large  herd  of  elephants  gathered  together  in 
their  wild  state,  can  form  no  idea  now  impressive 
such  a  sight  is.  This  great  number  of  huge  black 
bodies  moving  slowly  along,  with  their  long  white 
tusks  gleaming  in  the  sun,  was  perfectly  overpower- 
ing. Wherever  you  looked,  for  the  space  of  half  a 
mile,  nothing  was  to  be  seen  but  elephants  marching 


sedately  along  at  tjie  foot  of  the  mountains.  The 
very  face  of  the  plain  seemed  moving.  Here  and 
there  the  ranks  were  broken  by  the  rather  clumsy 
gambols  of  little  elephants  who  broke  from  the 
herd  and  performed  a  series  of  awkward-looking 
plunges  in  the  open.  I  noticed  that  a  very  large 
elephant,  a  perfect  mountain  of  flesh,  marched  some 
fifty  yards  ahead  of  the  herd  by  itself.  I  mentioned 
this  to  Emin,  who  told  me  that  when  a  herd  of 


92 


Emin  Paska. 


elephants  was  travelling,  tlie  largest  female  always 
goes  in  front.  It  is  curious  that  in  a  herd  of  ele- 
phants a  female  should  always  lead,  while  in  the  case  of 
buffaloes  we  always  noticed  the  biggest  bull  acted  as 
pilot  of  the  herd,  Emin  further  told  me  that  with 
geese  or  cranes  he  had  noticed  that,  either  swimming 
or  flying,  the  female  was  always  ahead.  Emin's 
men,  seeing  the  elephants,  a  few  of  which  were  not 
more  than  200  yards  distant,  began  to  whistle  and 
imitate  cocks  crowing  ;  they  did  this  in  the  belief  that 
it  would  prevent  the  elephants  from  charging  ;  for 
they  have  a  superstition  that  the  sound  of  whistling  or 
the  crowing  of  cocks  is  particularly  offensive  to  them, 
and  when  elephants  hear  it,  they  invariably  make  off. 

At  mid-day  we  reached  a  part  of  the  plain 
where  the  mountains  gradually  closed  in  from  the 
east  and  west,  and  ran  parallel  to  the  river  ;  not  more 
than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant  from  it,  the  path 
descended  from  the  high  plain,  and  ran  close  along 
its  left  bank.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  valley  the 
mountains  rose  abruptly  from  the  river,  which  being 
closed  in  by  them  is  very  narrow  here,  and  thunders 
over  the  rocks  in  one  long  series  of  rapids.  The 
country  is  perfectly  beautiful  and  of  a  wild,  park-like 
description.  Small  valleys,  full  of  fine  trees,  ran  up 
into  the  mountains,  while  the  little  plain  between  the 
river  and  the  hills  was  covered  with  short-cropped 
grass,  and  dotted  about  with  large,  finely-shaped 
trees.  There  was  an  inexpressible  air  of  quiet 
and  peacefulness  about  it.  Shut  in  on  all  sides 
by  the  mountains,  one  experienced  a  feeling  of 
security  and  retirement.    We  lunched  under  the 


Chor  Ayu  Station. 

shade  of  a  spreading  tree  close  to  the  river's 
edsre,  and  rested  for  an  hour  on  the  short  sweet 
grass. 

At  4.30  we  reached  Chor  Ayu,  a  small  station 
close  to  the  river,  surrounded  by  fields  of  corn  and 
ground-nuts.  Owing  to  the  post  having  miscarried 
in  some  way,  our  huts  were  not  made  ready 
for  us ;  but  I  had  fever,  and  was  very  glad  to 
lie  down  in  an}^  sort  of  hut.  Khamis  Aga,  the  chief 
of  the  station,  came  in  to  pa}^  his  respects,  but  was 
coldly  received  by  the  Pasha,  who  was  not  at  all 
pleased  with  the  state  the  station  was  in. 

This  was  the  smallest  of  Emin's  stations,  the 
garrison  consisting  of  only  twenty-five  soldiers  and 
tAvo  officers.  Emin  had  formerly  built  it  in  order  to 
defend  the  ford  of  the  Ayu,  the  crossing  of  which 
was  constantly  disputed  by  a  tribe  of  unfriendly 
natives,  who  lived  in  the  mountains  above.  It  is  a 
good  sized  river,  and  in  the  rainy  season  must  bring 
down  a  large  body  of  water.  It  was  crossed  by  a 
large  strong  nuggar  which  had  been  built  at  Dufile. 
It  was  curious,  seeing  how  long  the  Egyptian 
Government  had  been  established  here,  that  so  many 
of  the  small  tribes  round  about  should  be  still  un- 
friendh^  I  suspected  that  when  the  governor's  back 
was  turned  a  good  deal  of  license  was  allowed  the 
soldiers  by  the  officers,  most  of  whom  had  something 
against  them  in  Egypt.  The  tribes  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  river  here  had  never  been  subdued,  and  it  was 
not  far  from  here,  when  Gordon  was  governor  of  the 
country,  that  poor  Linant  de  Belief  onds,  whom  Stanley 
met  in  Uganda  in  1875,  was  killed  by  the  natives. 


93  i 


94 


Emin  Pasha. 


The  next  day,  somewhat  late,  we  began  our  march 
for  Lahore,  which  was  two  and  a  half  hours  distant. 
The  character  of  the  country  was  much  the  same  as 
that  through  which  we  passed  the  day  before,  but 
the   narrow   plain  between  the  two  stations  was 

entirely  under  cul- 
tivation, ground- 
nuts seeming  to 
be  the  chief  thinor 
cultivated  here. 
At  ten  o'clock  we 
reached  Lahore,  a 
good-sized  station 
on  the  top  of  a 
high,  rocky  hill, 
overlooking  the 
river.  The  soldiers, 
of  whom  there 
were  ninety  and 
seven  officers,  were 
drawn  up,  as  usual, 
to  salute  the  go- 
vernor as  he  en- 
tered. Our  com- 
pound was  below 
the  station  on  a 
narrow  flat  be- 
tween it  and  the 
river.  Selim  Aga,  the  chief  of  the  district,  Surore 
Aga,  chief  of  the  station,  and  the  rest  of  the 
officers  came  in  to  see  us  in  our  compound,  bring- 
ing with  them  the  inevitable  offering  of  coffee 
and  sherbet.    The  huts  were  very  nice  and  cool. 


Selim  Aga. 


95 


the  sides  being  formed  of  basket-work  of  split 
bamboo. 

In  the  cool  of  the  afternoon  we  went  up  to  the 
station,  and  paid  Selim  Aga  a  visit  in  his  house 
and  drank  coffee.  He  was  the  biggest  Soudanese 
I  had  yet  seen.  He  must  have  been  at  least  six 
feet  four  inches  in  height,  and  was  enormously 
fat  and  broad.  He  was  a  great  easy-going  fellow, 
with  a  good-natured,  cherubic  face,  and  had  a  little 
shrew  of  a  wife  who  kept  him  in  splendid  order.  He 
was  one  of  those  officers  who  came  down  to  see 
Stanley  when  the  Pasha  was  staying  with  us  in  our 
camp  at  N'sabe.  He  said  he  hoped  all  would  be  well 
now  that  I  was  going  to  Rejaf  to  speak  to  the 
people.  He  told  me  he  intended  to  speak  to  the 
soldiers  of  Lahore,  and  prepare  them  for  our  return  ; 
but  he  seemed,  from  what  he  said,  to  distrust  Surore 
Aga,  his  second  in  command.  After  talking  with 
him  some  time,  we  went  over  the  station.  It  was  not 
nearly  so  nicely  kept  or  clean  as  the  stations  to  the 
south  of  Dufile,  which  were  more  immediately  under 
the  Pasha's  eye.  The  ground  was  rocky  and  uneven, 
and  the  station  was  enclosed  by  a  thick,  strong,  dry- 
stone  wall,  which  was  further  supplemented  by  thick 
bushes  of  mimosa  thorns  fixed  on  the  top.  This 
used,  so  Emin  told  me,  to  be  a  good  place  for 
cotton,  but  I  found  it  difiicult  to  get  much  cotton 
cloth.  Selim  Aga  told  me  it  had  been  one  of  the 
worst  years  ever  known  for  cotton,  owing  to  the 
drought. 

Leaving  Labore  station  next  day,  we  started  for 
Muggi,  a  seven  hours'  march  distant.  The  moun- 
tains here  again  receded  from  the  river,  and  the 


96 


Emiii  Pasha. 


patli  lay  tlirougli  a  fine  broad  plain  some  distance 
from  the  Nile. 

The  riding  donkeys  in  this  country  are  strong  but 
very  slow,  and  I  usually  walked  most  of  the  way. 
There  are  great  herds  of  them  in  a  country  to  the  east 
of  the  Dinka  country,  but  the  natives  only  use  them 
for  milking,  and  not  as  beasts  of  burden.  We  now 
passed  out  of  the  country  of  the  Madi  tribe,  and 
entered  that  of  the  Baris.  The  countr}^  was  pretty, 
though  nothing  particular ;  but  there  were  numbers 
of  birds,  and  I  longed  to  take  a  gun  and  go  out  after 
some  of  them.  I  was  becoming  quite  imbued  with 
the  Pasha's  taste  for  ornithology,  and  found  it  a 
most  interesting  subject.  There  were  numbers  of 
brilliant  scarlet  weaver  birds,  and  steel  blue  Lam- 
procolii,  flitting  about  in  all  directions,  in  the  long 
grass. 

As  we  neared  the  station  of  Muggi,  there  were 
very  extensive  Bari  cultivations  on  both  sides  of  the 
road,  and  large  numbers  of  guinea-fowl  and  geese 
might  be  seen  in  the  fields,  feeding  upon  the  grain. 
There  were  a  great  many  women  Avorking  in  the 
fields  perfectly  nude,  with  the  exception  of  a  small 
apron  made  of  bright  rings  of  iron  like  chain-mail. 
They  also  had  long  tails  of  string  hanging  down 
behind,  which  were  useful  to  them  whilst  kneelingf, 
which  is  their  usual  posture  when  working  in  the 
fields.  I  noticed,  with  surprise,  that  most  of  the 
women  and  many  of  the  men  had  enlarged  knees  of 
that  sort  which  is  known  in  England  as  a  "  house- 
maid's "  knee.  It  Avas,  I  presume,  the  result  of  this 
kneeling  posture.  The  doors  in  the  huts  we  passed 
were  so  low,  that  it  was  only  possible  for  the  owner 


Abdullah  Aga  Manzal. 


97 


to  enter  on  liis  hands  and  knees  ;  this  would,  no 
doubt,  also  help  to  develop  the  disease,  for  small 
particles  of  sand  continually  entering  the  skin  would 
set  up  an  irritation.  I  was  told,  that  although  this 
disease  was  very  disfiguring,  it  was  not  painful. 
Most  of  the  Bari  women  we  saw  working  in  the  fields 
had  their  babies  perched  on  their  backs.  It  is 
queer  on  entering  a  Bari  field,  to  see  ten  or  a  dozen 
women  at  work  on  their  knees  each  with  her  little, 
black,  fat  piccaniny  on  her  back. 

On  arriving  at  Muggi  we  did  not  enter  the  station, 
but  went  straight  to  our  compound,  which  was  some 
distance  off,  and  right  on  the  bank  of  the  river, 
which  falls  here  in  rather  a  fine  cataract.  The 
rush  of  the  water  so  close  to  the  huts  was  extremely 
pleasant,  it  is  a  sound  I  always  like.  Abdullah  Aga 
Manzal,  the  chief  of  the  station,  and  one  of  Emin's 
most  trusted  officers,  soon  appeared  with  the  coifee. 
He  was  ver}"  anxious  we  should  stay  some  days  here, 
but  we  were  in  a  hurry  to  get  on  and  finish  the 
Regaf  business  in  order  to  enable  us  to  return  to  the 
southern  stations  and  start  off  for  Fort  Bodo. 
Abdullah  Aga  struck  me  as  being  more  intelligent 
than  most  of  the  Soudanese  officers  I  had  seen  in 
this  country.  They,  as  a  rule,  asked  me  merely  to 
tell  them  about  the  Expedition  and  our  experiences 
on  the  road,  and  they  always  questioned  me  closely 
about  the  difficulty  of  getting  food,  and  so  on.  But 
Abdullah  Aga  asked  questions  about  the  natives 
we  had  encountered  on  the  way,  and  was  greatly 
interested  in  comparing  their  modes  of  war- 
fare, cultivation,  physique,  etc.,  with  the  tribes  and 
people  he  had  seen  in  the  forest  countries,  such  as 

H 


98 


Emin  Pasha. 


Monbuttu,  Niam-Niam,  and  Makraka.  I  was  greatly 
pleased  with  the  short  conversation  I  had  with  him. 

On  July  19th  we  made  an  early  start  for  Kirri, 
distant  four  and  a  half  hoars'  march.  The  country 
was  poor  but  pretty,  all  up  and  down  with  gullies  and 
streams,  and  hills  covered  with  short  grass.  There 
were  in  places  large  circles  and  squares  of  stones 
marking  what  were  once  the  sites  of  extensive  Bari 
villages.  The  Baris  had  long  since  abandoned  their 
villages  near  the  road,  and  had  built  new  settlements 
behind  a  low  range  of  hills  lying  some  distance  to 
the  west.  Emin's  soldiers,  by  their  overbearing  ways 
and  thieving  propensities,  made  it  impossible  for  the 
natives  any  longer  to  have  their  villages  on  the  road. 
As  we  got  further  towards  the  north,  where  the  stations 
were  not  immediately  under  Emin's  influence,  I 
could  see  by  the  many  marks  of  deserted  villages, 
and  the  almost  entire  absence  of  cattle  or  goats,  that 
the  soldiers  evidently  robbed  the  natives  to  such  an 
extent,  that  they  were  forced  to  leave  their  villages 
and  cattle  and  remove  their  goods  away  from  their 
thievish  influence.  I  could  see  that  if  ever  Emin's 
people  did  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  natives  they  would 
experience  short  shrift  at  their  hands,  for  they 
evidently  did  not  love  the  rule  of  the  "  Turks,"  as 
they  called  them.  We  passed  a  long  distance 
through  some  broken  ground  where  there  were  many 
curious  geological  phenomena.  There  were  natural 
terraces  lying  so  evenly  in  one  direction  that  they 
looked  as  if  they  had  been  built.  There  were  also 
strange  upheavals  and  subsidences  in  the  rocks,  and 
curious  strata,  such  as  would  delight  the  heart  of  a 
geologist. 


Gordon  s  favourite  Amusement.  99 

Early  in  the  day  Ave  reached  Kirri,  a  small  station, 
rendered  smaller  by  the  number  of  desertions  which 
had  taken  place  amongst  the  soldiers,  who,  under 
the  influence  of  the  Rejaf  faction,  had  deserted  to  a 
station  thej  had  made  in  the  Makraka  country. 

Bachit  Aga,  the  chief  of  the  station,  remained 
loyal  to  the  Pasha,  but  was  quite  unable  to  check 
the  desertions  ;  he  was  useful  and  obedient,  but  was 
rather  a  drunkard.  Our  compound  was  away  from 
the  station,  close  to  the  river,  built  on  a  little  cliff 
high  above  it.  This  was  Gordon's  favourite  spot 
where  he  used  to  stay  whenever  he  could  get  away 
from  his  work  at  Lado,  and,  like  Gladstone,  to  amuse 
himself  by  cutting  doAvn  trees.  Bachit  Aga  had  an 
amusing  story  of  Gordon's  disgust  when  the  chief  of 
the  station  suggested  that  he  should  fetch  some  men  to 
clear  away  the  tree,  and  so  save  his  Excellency  the 
enormous  trouble  he  seemed  to  be  putting  himself 
to. 

We  found  on  our  arrival,  that  the  station  people, 
in  order  to  make  our  huts  extra  nice,  had  just 
plastered  the  floors  with  fresh  cow-dung  ;  this  if  left  to 
dry  for  a  couple  of  days,  makes  an  excellent  floor, 
but  as  it  was,  our  huts  were  rendered  quite  untenable. 
However,  a  number  of  Bari  women  were  called  in, 
and  soon  gave  the  huts  a  completely  new  flooring 
of  clean  white  sand.  They  were  then  fumigated  by 
burning  a  peculiar  kind  of  gum,  which  has  a  smell 
like  pastiles  ;  it  is  found  extensively  in  this  country. 
I  was  greatly  pleased  by  the  industry  and  good 
nature  shown  by  the  women  while  performing  this 
service  for  us.  Their  ornaments  were  very  pretty, 
most  of  them  had  bands  of  leather  round  their  waists 

H  2 


lOO 


Emin  Pasha. 


covered  with  little  bright,  round  discs  of  iron,  these 
discs  were  also  hung  round  the  belt  like  a  fringe  of 
sequins  ;  depending  from  the  belt  in  front  was 
an  apron  made  of  iron  rings,  like  a  coat  of  mail. 
Sometimes  numbers  of  iron  chains  hanging  down  in 
front  were  worn  instead,  or  a  large  square  of  leather 
with  cylindrical-shaped  pieces  of  iron,  the  thickness 
of  a  lead  pencil,  sewn  on  to  it. 

Round  their  necks  were  solid  iron  necklets  of  all 
shapes  and  sizes,  while  the  usual  bangles  round  their 
wrists  and  ankles  were  also  worn. 

Another  ornament  I  noticed  was  a  kind  of  girdle 
made  of  round  flat  disks  of  shell  strung  closely  on 
strings,  and  worn  round  and  round  the  waist  several 
times,  from  this  a  long  thin  tail  of  strings  hung 
down  behind. 

Altogether  the  Bari  woman  is  a  highly  decorated, 
but  unclothed  person, — the  men,  like  those  of  the 
Madi  tribe  are  all  perfectly  naked. 

In  the  afternoon  we  went  up  and  had  coffee  with 
Bachit  Aga,  and  went  over  the  station.  It  was  small 
and  rather  ill-kept,  and  was  surrounded  by  a  high 
dry  built  stone  wall  with  thorny  bushes  placed  on 
top.  All  the  stations  north  of  Dufile  were  built  in 
this  way,  and  it  would  be  almost  impossible  for 
natives  to  take  them. 

The  Pasha,  according  to  the  plan  he  had  made 
at  Dufile,  decided  to  stay  here ;  he  sent  Hamad 
Aga  and  the  other  ofiicers  of  the  1st  Battalion  down 
to  Rejaf,  and  intended  to  await  Hamad  Aga's  report 
before  moving. 

He  told  Hamad  Aga  to  inform  the  soldiers  at  Rejaf 
that  he  would  remain  here  for  a  few  days,  and  if 


Bari  Ornaments. 


lOI 


they  came  and  made  their  submission,  he  would 
forgive  them  on  condition  they  handed  over  to  him 
the  officers  who  first  instigated  them  to  rebel. 
Should  they  refuse  to  do  this,  he  would  leave  them  to 
themselves,  and  retire  the  garrisons  of  Kirri,  Muggi, 
Lahore,  and  Clior  Ayu  to  his  southern  station,  pre- 
paratory to  leaving  the  country  on  Stanley's  return. 
He  told  me  he  thought  that  if  the  officers  refused  to 
obey  him,  that  numbers  of  soldiers  would  desert 
from  the  Rejaf  faction,  and  join  him.  This  I  very 
much  doubted. 

Emin  had  his  collectors  out  shooting  birds; 
he  intended,  whilst  waiting  for  an  answer  from 
Rejaf,  to  employ  his  time  by  adding  to  the  large 
collections  he  had  already  made. 

At  night  numbers  of  swallows  roosted  in  our  huts  ; 
they  were  of  a  particularly  pretty  sort,  the  head  and 
back  being  steel  blue,  the  throat  brown,  and  the  belly 
white ;  they  were  somewhat  smaller  than  the  European 
species.  The  people  round  brought  me  in  wonderful 
curiosities  in  the  way  of  bangles,  necklets,  girdles, 
knives,  and  carved  wooden  utensils.  Some  of  the 
boatmen  brought  me  in  some  Bari  bows  and  arrows. 
The  bows  were  long,  and  made  of  split  cane  of  the 
bamboo  species,  and  were  strung  with  a  piece  of  fine 
twisted  hide.  The  arrows  were  over  three  feet  in 
length,  with  heavy  iron  heads,  eight  inches  long, 
and  horribly  barbed ;  they  had  no  feathers,  for 
the  iron  heads  being  so  heavy  they  fly  straight 
without  them.  They  were  thickly  coated  with 
poison  made  of  the  juice  of  the  Euphorbia  Candelabra 
tree ;  they  were  somewhat  clumsily  finished  and  had 
a  niche  in  the  end  to  fit  into  the  string.  Neither 


I02 


Emin  Pasha. 


the  bows  nor  arrows  were  so  beautifully  made  as  those 
of  the  forest  natives,  who  seemed  to  take  a  pride  in 
decorating  them,  and  polishing  them  up. 

After  waiting  a  few  days,  letters  came  in  from 
Hamad  Aga,  saying  that  on  arriving  at  Eejaf  he 
had  called  all  the  officers  together,  and  told  them 
that  the  Mudir  was  at  Kirri,  and  that  he  would  come 
down  to  Rejaf,  and  speak  to  the  people,  if  the 
officers  would  first  go  to  him  and  make  their  submis- 
sion. The  officers  answered  that  they  had  written  for 
Ali  Aga  Dgabor  and  Mahmoud  Effendi  el  Adeini  to 
come  from  Makraka  to  consult  with  them  as  to  what 
should  be  done,  and  that  they  preferred  to  await  the 
coming  of  these  two  officers  before  moving. 

These  two  men  were  the  ringleaders  of  the 
rebellion,  who,  contrary  to  the  Pasha's  orders,  had 
established  themselves  in  Makraka,  taking  with  them 
half  the  garrisons  of  Bidden,  Kirri,  and  Kejaf, 
together  with  a  large  amount  of  ammunition  from 
those  stations.  Here,  as  I  said  before,  they  led  the 
lives  of  robber-chiefs,  and  lived  by  making  raids  on 
the  natives,  seizing  large  numbers  of  cattle  and 
women,  and  hanging,  shooting,  and  mutilating  the 
people.  Both  these  men  were  among  the  worst  of 
the  many  scoundrels  in  Emin's  Province,  and  the 
officers  were  evidently  afraid  of  acting  without  them. 
Emin,  however,  said  that  if  he  could  only  see  Ali 
Aga  Dgabor,  he  was  quite  sure  he  could  bring  him 
round  to  his  side.  He  decided  therefore  to  wait  for 
his  arrival  from  Makraka.  I  thought  it  was  a  very 
dangerous  experiment  for  him  to  make,  and  that  it 
was  no  use  waiting  and  losing  time.  I  had  received 
orders  to  go  round  to  all  the  stations  in  the  Province, 


Conversation  with  a  Clerk. 


103 


but  not  being  able  to  go  down  to  Rejaf,  it  was  no  use 
remaining  here.  I  wislied  to  carry  out  those  orders 
as  quickly  as  possible  and  return,  for  I  was  getting 
very  uneasy  about  things,  and  this  uneasiness  was 
further  increased  by  a  conversation  I  had  with  the 
clerk  of  the  station.  He  told  me  that  Achniet 
Eifendi  Mahmoud,  the  clerk  of  Tunguru,  whom  Emin 
had  imprisoned  on  his  return  from  Stanley's  camp 
for  preaching  sedition  in  the  country,  had  written 
to  Kirri,  to  say  that  I  was  only  a  tool  pat  up  by 
Emin  and  Stanley  to  deceive  them;  that  we  had 
really  only  come  from  Uganda,  and  the  Soudanese 
orderlies  I  had  with  me  were  only  sent  as  a  blind  ; 
that  the  Expedition  was  merely  an  Expedition  of 
travellers  and  had  nothing  to  do  with  Egypt ;  and 
added,  had  the  Expedition  come  from  the  Khedive,  he 
would  have  sent  300  and  not  three  soldiers  only. 

"  But,"  I  asked  the  clerk,  "  what  can  it  matter 
whether  we  have  come  from  Egypt  or  not,  so  that 
we  are  willing  to  help  the  people  ?  " 

He  replied  that  unless  the  people  believed  we  came 
from  Egypt  they  would  never  move. 

I  was  getting  tired  and  utterly  sceptical  about 
these  people,  and  begged  Emin  to  start  without 
delay  for  the  south.  It  was  therefore  decided  that  T 
should  address  the  people  of  the  station,  and  that  on 
the  following  day  we  should  begin  our  return  march 
to  Dufile. 

The  next  day  I  spoke  to  the  soldiers  and  read  them 
the  Khedive's  letter  and  Stanley's  proclamation.  I 
then  addressed  them  shortly  and  incisively,  for  I 
was  disgusted  with  their  stupidity  and  want  of 
gratitude.    I  reminded  them  that  for  thirteen  years 


104 


Einin  Pasha. 


their  Mudir  had  toiled  for  them,  and  represented  to 
them  that  it  was  to  their  advantage  to  hold  to  him 
now,  and  not  to  listen  to  what  the  officers  in  Rejaf 
had  told  them.  However,  if  they  preferred  listening 
to  other  words  than  ours,  thej  were  free  to  do  so, 
and  remain  in  the  country.  As  for  Stanley,  when 
he  returned,  those  people  who  were  ready  could 
follow  him,  but  he  would  not  wait  for  any  who  were 
not  prepared  to  start  at  once,  for  we  had  already 
spent  too  long  a  time  in  this  country.  I  finished  by 
drawing  a  picture  of  what  their  position  would  be 
when  left  to  themselves.  I  told  them  that  their 
ammunition  would  only,  with  great  care,  last  a 
certain  time,  perhaps  for  a  year,  and  after  that  the 
natives,  whose  hatred  they  had  gained  b}^  a  hundred 
acts  of  violence,  would  sweep  the  greater  number  of 
them  from  the  face  of  the  earth.  Those  few  who  could 
escape  would  have  to  arm  themselves  with  spears 
and  bows,  and  take  to  wearing  green  leaves,  or 
return  to  nakedness.  They  would  become  just  like 
the  natives  themselves,  and  revert  to  the  state 
from  which  Emin  took  them  years  ago, — a  state  for 
which  they  now  had  the  greatest  contempt.  More- 
over, every  man's  hand  would  be  against  them. 

They  seemed  greatly  struck  by  these  last  remarks, 
for  it  was  their  pride  to  consider  themselves  ci^dlized 
and  well  clothed,  and  it  was  a  great  blow  to  that 
pride  to  be  told  that  in  the  course  of  a  year  they 
would  have  to  return  to  their  former  savage  state. 

One  of  the  non-commissioned  officers  stepped  out, 
and  said,  "  "What  a  pity  it  is  you  do  not  go  down  to 
Rejaf,  and  speak  these  words  to  the  soldiers,  for  if 
they  heard  the  words  you  have  spoken  to-day,  they 


The  Soldiers'  Answer. 


would  see  their  position  clearly,  and  there  would  be 
no  more  trouble." 

Bachit  Aga  came  in  next  morning  to  see  me,  and 
brought  his  officers  and  non-commissioned  officers 
Avith  him.  He  had  ahvajs  behaved  well  during  the 
mutiny,  and  though  he  belonged  to  the  1st  Battalion, 
had  refused  to  put  his  name  to  the  insulting  letters 
which  had  been  sent  to  Emin.  He  was  of  course  for 
going  with  the  Governor,  whether  to  Egypt  or  else- 
where. 

I  was,  however,  not  prepared  for  the  emphatic 
manner  in  which  the  rest  of  the  officers  and  people 
declared  they  wished  to  go  out  with  us,  and  were 
ready  to  move  south  whenever  their  Mudir  ordered 
them.    They  told  me  that  all  the  people  had  been 
talking  of  what  I  had  said  to  them  yesterday,  and 
now  fully  realized  what  their  position  would  be  if 
the}^  refused  our  help.    They  begged  to  be  taken 
away  from  the  reach  of  the  officers  in  Rejaf,  and 
asked  me  to  put  down  what  they  said  in  my  kitaab 
(book),  for  which  they  seemed  to  have  great  respect ; 
for  they  had  heard  I  wrote  down  daily  everything 
that  happened  in  the  Province.    They  had  heard 
that  I   had   a  wonderful   gun  which  they  asked 
me  to  show  them.    I  showed  them  my  Winchester 
with   fifteen    cartridges  in   it,    with   which  they 
were  greatly  pleased.    Later  on  in  the  day  Emin 
sent  for  me,  and,  on  going  into  his  divan,  I  found 
that  a  deputation  of  soldiers  had  come  down  to  see 
him.    They  said  some  one  in  the  station  had  told 
them  that  Stanley  would  not  allow  them  to  take 
their  women,  children,  and  slaves  with  them  if  they 
went  out  with  us,  and  asked  if  it  were  true.    I  told 


io6 


■Emin  Pasha. 


thein  we  had  notliing  to  do  with  their  domestic 
arrangements,  and  that  as  far  as  we  were  concerned 
they  might  bring  with  them  whom  they  pleased  ;  on 
that  subject  they  would  have  absolute  freedom. 
They  professed  to  be  satisfied,  and  went  away.  In 
the  cool  of  the  evening,  Emin  and  I  went  up  to  the 
station  to  see  a  dance  got  up  by  the  soldiers  in 
honour  of  the  occasion.  Nearly  all  these  soldiers 
were  natives  of  Makraka.  The  music  was  more  like 
music  than  any  I  had  before  heard  among  the  natives. 
There  were  long  and  short  horns,  made  of  gourds  and 
cowhide,  and  different  sized  drums,  while  each  dancer 
held  a  wicker  rattle  with  which  he  beat  time  to  the 
step  of  the  dance.  The  tune  consisted  of  six  or 
seven  deep  notes  from  a  large  horn,  these  being 
repeated  over  and  over  again,  to  an  accompaniment 
of  drums  and  rattles.  In  the  distance  it  sounded 
well,  and  rather  pathetic.  The  Makraka  dance  is 
not  so  energetic  as  some  of  the  tribal  dances,  and  ex- 
hibits none  of  the  indecencies  of  the  Lur  dances.  The 
dancers  give  a  sort  of  double  shuffle  on  each  foot  as 
they  move  sedately  round  the  group  of  musicians. 
The  women  move  and  dance  in  an  exceedingly  grace- 
ful manner. 

On  returning  to  our  compound  a  messenger  put  a 
letter  into  Emin's  hand ;  it  was  from  Rejaf,  and 
written  by  Hamad  Aga. 

The  following  is  a  literal  translation  from  the 
Arabic  : — 

"  To  his  Excellency  the  Governor  of  Hatalastiva. 

"  After  having  kissed  your  hands  with  all  venera- 
tion, I  ask  God  the  Highest  not  to  keep  me  long  from 


Letter  from  Hamad  Aga. 


your  Excellency's  presence.  I  beg  to  report  I  am 
still  in  Rejaf,  and  look  anxiously  for  an  opportunity 
to  leave  here,  where  I  am  detained,  and  rejoin  your 
Excellency.  I  now  report  for  your  favour,  that  I 
have  heard  that  the  officers  here  have  conspired  to 
retain  3'^our  Excellency  here,  should  you  honour  this 
place  with  your  presence.  They  do  not  intend  to 
permit  you  to  return,  but  propose  to  start  by  way  of 
Gondokoro,  to  rejoin  their  Government,  which  they 
are  convinced  still  exists  at  Khartoum. 

"  Your  Excellency  is  not  unaware  of  what  these 
people  are  capable,  and  as  I  consider  it  my  duty 
through  my  devotion  to  you  to  inform  your  Ex- 
cellency of  this,  I  venture  to  expose  this  plot.  As 
for  myself,  since  my  arrival  here,  I  have  not  entered 
in  any  way  into  aifairs,  and  whatever  has  been  done, 
has  been  done  without  consulting  me.  It  is  my 
utmost  wish  now  to  find  a  way  to  escape  from  here. 
If  our  Lord  gives  me  His  hands  and  saves  me, 
praises  be  to  Him  ;  but  if  not.  His  will  be  done.  This 
is  all  I  am  able  to  tell  your  Excellency. 

"  (Signed)       Hamad  Mahomet. 
"  July  28th,  1888.  Major,  1st  Battalion." 

Here  was  the  confirmation  of  all  my  worst  fears. 
The  cloud  which  had  risen  in  my  mind,  no  bigger  than 
a  man's  hand,  was  now  growing  and  darkening  and 
gradually  overshadowing  my  belief  in  Emin's  wisdom. 

Hamad  Aga's  messenger  told  us  he  had  been 
despatched  secretly  at  night ;  that  immediately 
on  Hamad  Aga's  delivery  of  Emin's  message 
to  the  soldiers,  they  formed  this  plot  to  entrap 
him.    He  said  that  all  the  soldiers  were  greatly 


io8 


Emin  Pasha 


incensed  against  their  officers,  and  would,  lie  was 
sure,  join  Emin,  if  he  went  to  Rejaf,  in  arresting 
them.  This  was  too  dangerous  an  experiment  to 
make,  though  Emin  still  seemed  to  believe  that  the 
people  could  be  eventually  brought  round. 

Nine  months  before  certain  of  the  officers  and 
soldiers  of  the  1st  Battalion  had  made  an  attempt  to 
capture  Emin  in  this  very  place,  and  fearing  that 
there  might  be  a  repetition  of  the  same  thing,  it  was 
decided  we  should  at  once  retire  on  Muo-o-i. 

Before  starting  Emin,  with  a  view  to  beginning 
the  evacuation  of  the  station,  ordered  Bachit  Aga  to 
send  all  the  ammunition  of  the  station  with  us, 
reserving  sufficient  for  the  present  needs  of  the 
people.  After  we  had  gone  about  a  mile,  a  soldier 
came  running  after  us  with  a  note  from  Bachit  Aga, 
saying,  that  on  taking  the  ammunition  from  the  store- 
house to  send  it  after  us,  the  soldiers  had  closed 
round  and  refused  to  allow  it  to  be  taken  from  the 
station.  Emin  merely  sent  back  a  message  that  he 
insisted  on  its  being  sent  at  once  ! 

Such  an  open  act  of  insubordination  was  out- 
rageous, and  I  begged  him  to  return  and  see  that  his 
order  was  carried  out  himself.  I  knew  that  had 
Stanley  given  an  order,  and  heard  that  his  people 
had  refused  to  carry  it  out,  he  would  very  soon  have 
been  on  the  spot  to  see  it  obeyed  in  person.  But 
Emin  seemed  to  be  incapable  of  prompt  action. 
This  was  the  further  proof  T  required  to  confirm  all 
the  doubts  which  had  risen  in  my  mind  at  Dufile 
nearly  a  fortnight  before.  From  that  day  I  lost  all 
faith  in  Emin's  advice  and  assurances  with  regard 
to  his   people  ;    I  felt   that   a   heavy  cloud  was 


Emin  s  Indecision. 


109 


sratliermsr  over  us,  and  that  serious  trouble  was 

CO  ' 

impending. 

The  soldiers  had  now,  so  to  speak,  defied  his  orders, 
and  he  could  look  no  longer  for  obedience  from  them. 
We  reached  Muggi  in  the  afternoon,  and  in  the  even- 
inff  a  messengfer  came  in  from  Kirri,  saving  that  the 
soldiers  had  refused  to  obey  the  second  order  Emin 
had  given  them. 

As  I  foretold,  mischief  was  the  result,  for  in  the 
morning  Bachit  Aga  sent  word  that  the  soldiers  were 
deeply  incensed  at  the  Pasha's  ordering  the  ammuni- 
tion to  be  removed  without  giving  them  warning  of 
his  intention  to  evacuate  the  station.  He  said  they 
evidently  thought  that  their  Governor  was  trying  to 
deceive  them  in  some  way,  and  that  they  had  declared 
they  would  not  trust  him,  but  would  go  over  to  the 
rebels  at  Rejaf.  "With  negroes  especially  it  is  fatal  to 
give  an  order,  unless  you  know  it  will  be  carried  out. 
Had  the  Pasha  returned  just  that  short  distance  to 
the  station,  a  few  words  would  have  been  sufficient  to 
put  the  soldiers  right,  and  what  proved  to  be  the 
beginning  of  the  long  series  of  troubles  we  after- 
wards experienced,  might  have  been  avoided.  ATe 
heard  that  messengers  from  Kirri  had  been  sent 
down  to  Rejaf  to  tell  the  rebels  what  had  happened. 
Two  days  before,  the  soldiers  of  Kirri  had  declared 
they  would  obey  their  Governor,  and  begged  to  be 
taken  away  from  the  influence  of  the  1st  Battalion  ; 
to-day,  they  were  in  rebellion  against  him,  and 
declared  they  would  join  the  Rejaf  faction.  AThat 
could  be  done  for  such  people,  and  how  could  any 
dependence  be  placed  in  their  promises  of  loyalty? 

In  the  afternoon  I  spoke  to  the  soldiers,  and  read 


no 


Emin  Pasha. 


them  tlie  Khedive's  and  Stanley's  letters  ;  there  were 
in  all  ninety  soldiers  in  Muggi,  and  it  was  generally 
believed  that  it  was  the  most  loyal  garrison  north  of 
Dufile. 

Emin  depended  very  much  on  Abdullah  Aga  for 
showing  the  people  an  example  in  starting  at  once  to 
evacuate  the  station,  and  transporting  his  garrison 
to  Dufile.  It  was  his  object  to  get  all  the  stations 
north  of  Dufile  moved  up  south  to  the  water  way, 
whence  he  would  be  able  to  transport  them  by  means 
of  his  steamers  to  the  south  end  of  the  Lake.  He 
thought  that  if  the  rest  of  the  garrisons  once  saw 
Abdullah  Aga  and  his  people  moving  for  Dufile,  they 
would  all  follow  his  lead. 

In  the  middle  of  the  night  Emin  came  into  my 
hut  and  woke  me  up.  He  had  just  received  a  letter 
from  Bachit  Aga,  the  chief  of  Kirri,  saying  that  that 
evening,  soldiers  had  arrived  from  Rejaf  and  had 
seized  all  the  ammunition,  and  had  made  him  a 
prisoner  in  his  own  house.  It  was  only  what  I 
expected  after  what  had  happened  the  day  before. 
He  read  me  the  letter,  and  asked  me  my  advice ;  he 
also  sent  for  Abdullah  Aga  to  hear  what  he  had  to 
say  about  it.  I  advised  him  to  send  off  a  few 
soldiers  and  as  many  carriers  as  he  could  get  down 
to  Kirri,  with  a  letter  from  him  to  be  read  out  before 
all  the  people.  He  should  say  in  this  letter  that 
any  one  who  wished  to  join  the  Rejaf  faction  was 
perfectly  free  to  do  so,  for  the  Khedive's  orders  were 
that  they  might  stay  where  they  were  if  they  pleased. 
But  that  if  there  were  any  people  who  preferred  to 
cast  in  their  lot  with  him,  there  were  soldiers  and 
carriers  ready  to  conduct  them  on  to  Muggi.  That 


Emin  tells  vie  his  Story. 


1 1 1 


he  wished  to  have  only  willing  people  with  him,  and 
would  compel  no  man  to  follow  him  against  his  will. 
He  adopted  this  plan  at  once,  and  at  3  a.m.,  by 
moonlight,  a  party  of  soldiers  and  carriers  left 
Muggi,  commanded  by  Ismail  Aga,  a  smart  young 
Soudanese  officer. 

I  pitied  Emin  terribly,  he  was  worn  out  by  years 
of  residence  in  the  Equatorial  Province,  with  all  its 
unceasing  anxiety.  He  had  stuck  to  his  people,  and 
had  repulsed  the  Mahdi's  attacks  unaided  by  the 
outside  world,  and  now  for  the  last  three  years  the 
trouble  of  rebelUon  had  been  added  to  his  other 
anxieties.  He  told  me  he  was  perfectly  worn  out  by 
it  all,  and  would  gladly  lay  down  his  burden,  "  But," 
he  said,  "  who  will  take  it  up  ?  " 

I  had  a  long  talk  with  him  that  night,  and  I  felt 
ashamed,  as  I  listened  to  his  story,  that  I  had  been 
so  irritated  by  his  want  of  promptness  two  days  ago. 
It  is  difficult  for  a  young  man,  full  of  vigorous  life, 
to  understand  how  hard  it  must  sometimes  be  for  an 
elderly  man,  worn  out  in  body  and  mind  by  long 
years  of  hard  work  and  anxiety,  to  act  with  energy 
and  promptness. 

Emin  had  been  over  ten  years  in  the  Turkish 
service  as  a  surgeon,  and  most  of  that  time,  he  told 
me,  had  been  spent  in  very  hot  climates,  such  as 
Syria,  and  different  parts  of  Asia  Minor,  Armenia, 
Persia,  Arabia,  and  Tripolis.  After  that  he  had 
entered  the  Egyptian  service,  and  had  been  in  the 
Equatorial  Province  for  thirteen  years,  the  climate 
of  which  is  most  trying  to  Europeans,  and  for  the 
last  eight  or  nine  years  had  had  all  the  responsibility 
of  the  government  on  his  shoulders.    During  the 


112 


Emiu  Pasha. 


first  years  of  his  governorship  he  had  seen,  with 
despair  and  indignation,  all  his  best  eiforts  for  the 
good  of  his  Province  and  people,  checked  and  ruined 
by  the  shameful  policy  of  the  government  at 
Khartoum.  For  the  last  five  years,  since  he  had 
been  cut  off  from  the  outside  world,  it  had  been  all 
he  could  do  to  hold  his  own  against  the  troubles 
which  beset  him,  and  to  clothe  and  look  after 
the  people  under  his  care,  a  people  who  seldom 
showed  any  gratitude.  He  was  in  such  a  state  of 
nervous  exhaustion,  that  he  seldom  got  more  than 
two  or  three  hours  of  sleep  at  night,  and  his  heart 
gave  him  great  pain  and  anxiety. 

It  was  only  at  times  when  the  troubles  of  his 
Province,  his  sleeplessness  and  anxiety  about  his 
work,  combined  to  make  his  burden  seem  almost 
heavier  than  he  could  bear,  that  he  gave  way  to 
melancholy,  and  to  a  feeling  of  despair,  as  to  who 
would  take  up  his  work  should  he  be  obliged  to 
relinquish  it. 

But  such  fits  of  melancholy  never  lasted  long,  and 
as  a  rule,  he  was  cheerful  and  busy.  His  one  recrea- 
tion was  in  his  ornithological  researches,  for  which 
he  had  a  great  passion.  His  collectors  went  out  daily 
and  brought  him  in  many  rare  kinds  of  birds,  and  in 
his  leisure  time  he  might  be  seen  measuring  and 
classifying  his  specimens,  with  all  the  fresh  interest 
of  an  ardent  ornithologist.  A  brave  man  who  bore 
up  against  his  trials,  and  unhesitatingly  gave  up  the 
best  years  of  his  life  for  the  good  of  his  people,  beset 
with  troubles  from  Avithin  and  without, — he  must 
always  be,  to  any  one  who  had  seen  him  in  his 
country  and  known  him,  an  object  of  admiration  and 


Ismail  Agds  A  rgument.  113 

sjmpathy.  Wliilst  his  kindness  of  heart,  unselfish- 
ness, and  generosity,  ought  to  make  those  who  knew 
him  intimately,  sincerely  attached  to  him. 

I  shall  never  forget  that  night,  when  we  sat 
together  till  morning  broke,  talking  of  many  things 
and  of  the  turn  affairs  in  his  Province  were,  I  felt, 
too  surely  taking.  He  told  me  of  his  life,  of  his 
hopes  and  fears,  his  struggles  and  disappointments, 
and  all  with  a  simple  earnestness  which  touched  me 
with  remorse  when  I  thought  how  often  I  had  allowed 
myself  to  be  irritated  by  his  want  of  energy  and 
decision. 

In  the  evening  the  soldiers  from  Kirri  returned, 
and  we  were  amazed  when  we  were  told  that  they 
had  brought  an  officer  and  fifteen  of  the  Rejaf 
soldiers  with  them.  Abdullah  Aga  Manzal  came  in 
to  tell  us  the  story.  It  appeared  that  Ismail  Aga, 
the  officer  who  went  down  to  Kirri  in  charge  of  the 
Muggi  soldiers,  had,  on  arriving  at  Kirri,  spoken  to 
the  Rejaf  soldiers,  and  told  them  how  foolish  they 
were  to  behave  as  they  were  doing,  and  asked  them 
if  they  could  cite  a  single  case  of  their  Governor's 
having  ill-treated  them,  whether  he  had  ever  taken 
anything  from  them,  or,  knowingly,  done  a  single 
act  of  injustice  to  them.  To  these  questions  they  all 
answered,  "  No."  Again  he  said,  "  Has  your  Mudir 
not  clothed  you,  fed  you,  given  you  guns  and 
ammunition,  tended  you  when  you  were  sick,  and 
been  a  father  to  you  for  thirteen  years  ?"  To  this 
they  answered,  "  Yes."  "  Then,"  continued  Ismail 
Aga,  "why  not  come  and  see  him  now  and  make 
your  submission."  "VYith  one  accord  they  said  they 
would  start  for  Muggi  and  see  him. 

I 


114 


Emin  Pasha. 


Half  of  them  therefore  came  with  their  lieutenant, 
and  the  other  half  said  they  would  come  the  next 
day  with  their  captain. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  they  were  brought  before 
Emin,  who  at  first  spoke  harshly  to  them,  but  finally 
addressed  them  quietly,  and  argued  away  their 
doubts.  They  told  him  that  it  was  the  fault  of  their 
officers  that  they  had  been  insubordinate  to  him,  and 
that  they  were  all  now  anxious  to  see  him  at  Rejaf, 
and  asked  him  why  he  had  not  come  down  to  see 
them.  He  answered,  "  Because  your  officers  made  a 
plot  to  capture  me."  They  appeared  to  be  very 
angry  at  this,  and  said  they  would  tell  their  com- 
panions what  their  officers  had  done. 

Emin  then  asked  me  to  speak  to  them. 

I  told  them  we  had  come  here  because  their  Grover- 
nor  had  written  to  England  for  help  for  his  people, 
and  the  English  people  had  agreed  to  join  the 
Khedive  in  sending  them  help.  Yet  at  the  time  their 
Governor  had  been  writing  to  Europe,  and  telling 
how  bravely  they  had  fought  against  the  Mahdi,  and 
asking  help  for  them,  they  were  plotting  to  rebel 
against  him.  They  all  shook  their  heads  and  said, 
"  Yes,  we  have  done  badly,  but  it  was  our  officers' 
fault."  I  read  them  the  Khedive's  letter,  and  ex- 
plained it  to  them,  and  told  them  that  we  had  come 
out  from  England,  had  seen  the  Khedive,  and  had 
come  many  thousand  miles  to  help  them,  and  now 
that  we  had  arrived  with  ammunition,  etc.,  for  them, 
they  asked  us  who  we  were,  and  said  they  did  not 
believe  we  came  from  Egypt,  instead  of  thanking  us  for 
what  we  had  done.  I  went  on  to  say  that  I  blamed 
their  officers  most,  but  that  I  considered  them  almost 


Rebel  Soldiers  from  Rejaf. 


as  bad  for  allowing  themselves  to  be  led  away  by 
slanders  against  tlieir  Governor  when  they  had  his 
own  words  to  go  by.  They  appeared  to  be  very 
much  ashamed  of  themselves,  and  promised  all  sorts  of 
things,  not  one  of  which,  I  knew,  they  would  carry  out. 
For  the  time  they  were  probably  sincere,  and  perhaps, 
if  they  had  had  their  women  and  children  on  the  spot, 
they  would  have  been  content  to  follow  us,  but  when 
they  got  down  to  Rejaf  among  their  fellows  who  had 
not  seen  Emin,  I  knew  their  loyalty  would  quickly 
evaporate,  and  things  would  be  just  as  before.  No 
doubt,  on  their  return  to  Rejaf  their  officers  would  be 
very  angry  at  hearing  what  they  had  done,  and  would 
see  they  were  watched  in  future. 

Emin  was  ver}^  hopeful  about  it  all,  and  thought 
that  these  few  men  would  leaven  the  whole  lump 
at  Rejaf.  I  said  I  was  sceptical,  upon  which  he 
said,  "  At  any  rate  the  good  seed  had  been  sown," 
and  I  answered  in  the  words  of  scripture,  I  feared  it 
had  fallen  on  a  rock,  and  would  quickly  wither  away. 

The  soldiers  before  returning  to  Rejaf  the  next 
day,  came  in  to  see  us,  and  repeated  much  of  what 
they  had  said  the  day  before,  but  were  still  more 
em])hatic  in  their  expressions  of  loyalty.  The  Pasha 
gave  them  a  calf  and  some  goats,  with  which  they 
were  much  pleased,  for  they  had  not  tasted  meat 
in  Rejaf  for  a  very  long  time.  They  promised  to 
send  the  rest  of  their  companions  at  Kirri  down  to 
see  the  Governor.  Emin  thought  all  would  yet  be 
well.  It  was  wonderful  that  he  should  after  long 
years  of  experience  among  them,  place  such  confidence 
in  people  who  had  already  deceived  him  half  a 
hundred  times. 

I  2 


ii6 


Em  in  Pasha. 


In  the  afternoon  Emin  got  a  letter  from  Hawashi 
Bffendi  at  Dufile,  saying  that  lie  had  sent  out  a  party 
of  soldiers  into  the  Shuli  country,  on  the  east  side  of 
the  river,  to  collect  the  grain  tax  from  the  natives. 
One  of  the  chiefs  told  Hawashi  Effendi's  officer  that 
a  party  of  Khartoum  people,  under  the  leadership  of 
Taha  Mahomet,  had  arrived  in  Latooka.  They  were 
all  armed  with  guns,  and  had  a  large  number  of 
armed  negroes  with  them.  He  further  said  he  had 
sent  out  a  party  of  soldiers  to  try  and  get  more  news 
about  them,  and  added,  "  I  trust  in  God  they  are 
people  from  our  Government  in  Khartoum." 

Here  was  Hawashi  Effendi,  one  of  the  most  intelli- 
gent of  Emin's  people,  still  half  believing  that  the 
news  of  the  fall  of  Khartoum  was  false  !  He  had 
seen  Stanley  at  N'Sabe,  and  had  heard  from  him  all 
about  the  affairs  in  Egypt,  and  yet  he  could  not 
divest  himself  of  the  idea  that  Egypt  still  governed  at 
Khartoum.  The  stupidity  of  these  people -was  mad- 
dening, it  was  like  talking  to  a  brick  wall,  and  it  was 
impossible  for  a  European  to  understand  their  way 
of  arguing  and  thinking.  As  Mrs.  Poyser  says,  "  you 
must  be  a  bat  to  know  what  the  bats  are  flying 
after,"  in  the  same  way  one  must  be  an  Egyptian  or 
Soudanese,  to  understand  the  working  of  their 
minds. 

We  were,  of  course,  greatly  excited  by  the  news 
which,  coming  at  this  time,  might  be  ver^^  unfortunate. 
Emin  told  me  this  Taha  Mahomet  was  very  well- 
known  in  these  countries.  He  had  originally  come 
Up  from  Khartoum,  as  a  horse-boy  to  Sir  Samuel 
Baker,  in  his  first  expedition,  when  he  discovered  the 
Albert  Nyanza.    Baker  had  stayed  in  Latooka  some 


Story  of  Taha  Mahomet.  1 1  7 


months,  and  when  he  left,  Taha  Mahomet  remained 
in  the  country,  where  little  by  little  he  gathered  people 
and  guns  to  him,  and  gradually  became  a  person  of 
considerable  consequence.  When  Gordon  came  up 
as  Governor  of  the  Equatorial  Province,  Latooka 
was  included  in  that  Province,  and  with  that  singu- 
lar choice  of  agents,  which  so  frequently  characterized 
Gordon  when  Governor,  he  made  Taha  Mahomet 
Governor  of  the  Latooka  country.  In  1879,  when 
there  was  a  block  in  the  Nile  for  over  two  years, 
Emin  sent  him  down  to  Khartoum  by  land,  with 
letters  to  Gordon,  who  was  then  Governor-General  of 
the  Soudan.  Gordon  detained  him  in  Khartoum, 
and  would  not  allow  him  to  return  to  his  country,  but 
finally  sent  him  to  Bahr  el  Ghazal  to  help  Gessi  Pasha, 
who  was  then  fighting  against  Sebehr.  He  was 
present  at  the  taking  of  Dem  Sebehr,  Sebehr's  strong- 
hold, and  Gessi  afterwards  sent  him  on  to  Emin  with 
high  recommendations,  and  the  request  that  he 
should  give  him  employment.  After  he  had  been  a 
month  at  Lado,  Emin  received  a  letter  from  Gessi 
requesting  him  to  send  down  Taha  Mahomet  to  him  in 
chains,  for  things  had  transpired  concerning  his 
being  mixed  up  in  some  large  stealing  case,  after  the 
sacking  of  Dem  Sebehr.  He  was  sent  down  to  Gessi, 
and  was  heard  of  no  more- in  the  Province.  Some 
time  afterwards,  when  Emin  was  in  Khartoum,  he 
enquired  after  him,  and  was  told  that  Taha  Mahomet 
had  lost  all  he  had,  and  had  started  for  Kordofan, 
and  had  died  on  the  road.  We  now  heard  of  him  as 
being  in  Latooka.  Emin  said  that  he  must  have  at 
least  300  guns  with  him,  for  he  would  never  dare  to 
enter  that  country  with  less.    We  had  no  doubt  that 


ii8 


Emin  Pasha, 


heliad  communication  with  the  Mahdi'speople  in  Khar- 
toum, for  it  was  extremely  unlikely  that  he  would 
have  come  all  that  way  into  the  country  to  establish 
himself  unless  he  was  sure  of  getting  fresh  supplies 
of  ammunition.  The  purpose  of  his  coming  would 
probably  be  for  getting  ivory  and  slaves.  As  he  had 
settled  in  Latooka,  which  was  Egyptian  territory,  with- 
out permission,  we  naturally  supposed  he  had  come  as 
an  enemy.  Such  an  event  happening  at  this  time  was 
unfortunate,  and  might  prove  most  disastrous,  for  the 
Latooka  country  wos  only  three  days  journey  from 
Rejaf,  and  five  from  Dafile,  and  this  settlement  of 
Taha  Mahomet's  might  have  turned  out  to  be  an 
asylum  for  all  the  disaffected  people  in  the  Province. 

The  Pasha  thought  that  the  Rejaf  officers  were 
almost  certain  to  go  over  to  him  when  they  heard 
the  news,  but  he  thought  that  the  soldiers  would  not 
do  so,  for  in  all  probability  their  guns,  women,  and 
slaves  would  be  confiscated,  and  they  themselves 
made  slaves.  But  they  were  so  foolish,  there  was 
no  knowing  what  they  might  do.  There  were  some 
Latooka  people  in  Lahore  station,  and  Emin  sent 
orders  to  Selim  Aga  to  send  them  out  towards 
Latooka  to  find  out  who  the  people  actually  were, 
what  was  their  number,  and  object  in  settling  there. 
It  was  of  course  quite  possible  that  it  was  not  Taha 
Mahomet,  but  some  of  the  Mahdi's  people  from  Khar- 
toum, who  were  coming  up  a  second  time  against 
Emin's  people.  He  said  he  thought  it  was  by  no 
means  improbable  that  there  would  again  be  fighting 
as  there  was  three  years  before.  The  poor  Pasha's 
misfortunes  seemed  ever  to  be  on  the  increase. 
Abdullah  Aga  begged  Emin  to  stay  a  few  days  until 


Game  rou?id  Miiggi. 


119 


the  work  of  evacuating  the  station  had  been  fairly 
started,  for,  he  said,  the  Governor's  presence  was  a 
great  incentive  to  the  people  to  move. 

Game  and  birds  of  all  sorts  abounded  round  Muggi. 
Emin's  collectors  had  brought  in  a  couple  of  bustards 
of  a  very  rare  species  ;  he  was  very  pleased  at  getting 
them,  for  only  five  specimens  of  them  had  ever  been 
brought  to  Europe,  These  were  brought  out  by  the 
Marquis  Antinori  from  Abyssinia  ;  he  praises  the  flesh 
of  these  birds,  which  he  says  is  far  superior  to  that  of 
any  other  birds  in  Africa.  I  went  out  several  times 
after  guinea  fowl,  of  which  there  were  numbers  round 
the  station.  T  was  able  to  get  several,  but  the  shot 
guns  Emiu  had  were  of  the  shakiest  description,  and 
the  shot  being  home-made  and  not  perfectly  round, 
spread  a  good  deal  and  made  shooting  difficult.  One 
day  I  was  out  and  got  lost  and  benighted.  After 
wandering  about  some  time  I  struck  the  path,  and  as  I 
n eared  the  station,  met  a  party  headed  by  my  bo}'', 
Binza,  with  a  lantern,  who  had  come  out  to  search 
for  me.  I  heard  that  Abdullah  Aga,  becoming 
anxious  at  my  non-appearance,  had  sent  out  three 
parties  in  different  directions  to  try  and  find  me. 

The  clerk  of  the  station  told  me  that  the  day 
before,  he  had  come  upon  a  herd  of  pigs  near  the 
mountains,  he  had  wounded  one  which  came  at  him 
and  he  had  to  take  to  a  tree.  I  told  him  I  would  go 
out  with  him  the  next  day  and  see  if  I  could  come 
upon  them.  We  started  early  and  tramped  a  very 
long  way  round  the  country,  but  could  not  find  the 
pigs.  There  were  a  few  antelope  of  the  striped  kind 
— Tragelaphus  Scriptus — but  it  was  impossible  to 
stalk  them,  as  there  was  no  cover  and  they  were  so 


I20 


Emin  Pasha. 


wild.  I  went  into  a  Bari  village  on  my  way  back, 
and  stayed  there  some  time  talking  with  the  natives 
through  the  medium  of  the  clerk  of  the  station,  who 
interpreted  for  me.  The  Baris  were  very  friendly, 
and  invited  me  to  come  and  inspect  their  huts  and 
household  goods,  which  I  was  very  glad  to  do,  for 
since  T  had  been  amongst  them,  I  had  been  collecting 
a  variety  of  facts  about  them,  and  I  was  always 
pleased  at  having  an  opportunity  of  extending  my 
knowledge  of  them.  I  went  into  several  huts  and 
examined  all  there  was  to  be  seen,  and  bought  a  bow 
from  the  young  chief,  who  told  me  that  the  length  of 
a  man's  bow  should  be  from  his  chin  to  the  ground.  I 
had  to  tilt  my  head  backwards  to  enable  my  chin  to 
rest  on  one  horn  of  his  bow  while  the  other  rested  on 
the  ground.  It  was  made  of  a  sort  of  mountain 
bamboo,  very  unlike  the  ordinary  bamboo,  and  more 
like  a  cane.  It  was  ornamented  with  long  strips  of 
iguana  skin,  which  were  wound  round  it ;  he  also 
presented  me  with  an  arrow.  I  told  him  to  follow 
me  to  the  station,  and  I  would  pay  him.  He  asked 
me  for  anything  in  the  shape  of  clothes,  though  what 
he  wanted  clothes  for  I  could  not  imagine,  for  he  was 
perfectly  naked  and  was  always  accustomed  to  being 
so.  On  arriving  at  my  hut  I  gave  him  one  of  my 
old  worn-out  shirts,  and  he  went  away  highly  pleased. 
In  the  evening  he  returned  and  told  me  he  was  so 
pleased  with  the  shirt,  that  he  had  brought  me  four 
more  arrows  as  presents.  I  mention  this,  for  it  is 
something  unusual  for  a  native  who  is  satisfied  with 
a  bargain  even  to  admit  it,  and  still  more  unusual  to 
bring  further  payment.  I  was  very  pleased,  for  his 
village  was  more  than  two  miles  from  the  station, 


Bin 2 a  Prays. 


121 


and  lie  had  given  himself  the  trouble  of  walking  all 
the  way  there  and  back  to  bring  me  the  arrows. 
Several  of  the  natives  and  a  good  many  of  the 
soldiers  had  brought  me  in  presents  of  splendid 
spears,  shields,  bows  and  arrows,  and  curiosities  of 
all  kinds,  some  coming  from  countries  far  to  the 
west.  The  Monbuttu  knives  and  dwarf's  spears 
they  brought  me  were  especially  beautiful.  Different 
people  had  brought  me  so  many  things,  that  I  had 
quite  a  large  collection,  but  I  feared  I  should  only 
have  to  throw  them  aAvay. 

We  had  with  us  an  old  soldier  who  was  one  of 
Emin's  orderlies ;  he  had  at  one  time  been  a  great 
drunkard,  but  was  now  in  the  way  of  being  reformed, 
and  had  become  very  religious.  He  had  prayers  every 
night  and  induced  all  our  boys  to  join.  Emin's 
servants  were  excellent  pagans,  but  would  have 
made  very  bad  Mahomedans,  so  he  told  them  to  leave 
off  this  practice,  which  they  did  without  the  least 
demur.  I  was  told,  however,  that  my  boy  Binza, 
who  was  a  ISTiam-Niam,  still  continued  to  do  what  he 
thought  was  praying.  Some  one  had  written  the 
Arabic  alphabet  for  him,  on  a  piece  of  paper  ;  in  the 
morning  he  used  to  take  his  mat  out,  and  kneeling  upon 
it,  read  what  was  written  on  the  paper  two  or  three 
times  over,  and  clasping  it  in  his  hands  bowed  himself 
to  the  earth  at  least  fifty,  instead  of  the  usual  five 
times,  which  are  prescribed  by  the  Mahomedan  law. 
He  used  then  to  rise  with  the  virtuous  feeling  of 
having  done  his  duty  to  his  God. 

I  did  not  forbid  him  to  continue  this  custom,  for  I 
really  did  not  think  that  the  alphabet  could  do  him 
any  harm  ! 


122 


Emin  Pasha. 


Meanwhile,  T  had  spoken  to  the  soldiers  at  Muggi, 
and  had  told  them  all  about  the  Expedition.  They 
professed  themselves  pleased  with  what  I  said,  and 
told  me  they  wished  to  follow  their  Governor,  and 
would  obey  him  implicitly.  Emin  had  also  spoken  to 
them,  and  told  them  that  he  wished  at  once  to 
evacuate  the  station,  first  because  he  wished  to  see 
them  started  for  Dufile  before  he  went  south,  and 
secondly  because  he  had  heard  that  people  had 
arrived  in  Latooka  from  Khartoum,  and  he  feared 
that  they  must  be  Mahomet  Achmet,  the  False 
Prophet's  people,  or  as  his  people  call  them  the 
Donagla.  These  people,  he  told  them,  if  they  Avere 
the  Donagla,  would  surely  attack  the  Province,  and 
if  they  were  not  concentrated  to  the  south  the  con- 
sequences would  be  disastrous  to  them. 

They  all  agreed  with  what  Emin  said,  and 
promised  to  carry  out  anything  he  should  be  pleased 
to  order  them  to  do.  He  told  them  first  the  women 
and  children  must  be  sent  to  Dufile,  and  then  the 
ammunition.  To  this  they  answered  they  were 
ready  to  start  the  evacuation  at  once.  So  that 
during  the  last  days  of  our  stay  at  Muggi,  parties  of 
women,  children,  cattle,  and  baggage,  had  left  the 
station  every  day.  The  ammunition  was  sent 
straight  to  Dufile,  and  before  we  left  for  Lahore 
nearly  half  the  station  had  been  evacuated.  These 
were  the  only  people  in  all  Emin's  Province  who 
obeyed,  and  went  about  their  work  as  if  they  meant 
something.  This,  I  think,  was  chiefly  owing  to  their 
being  commanded  by  a  man  like  Abdullah  Aga 
Manzal,  who  was  intelligent  and  always  ready  to 
obey  his  Grovernor. 


The  Grain  Tax. 


I 

123 


Muggi  was  by  far  the  best  disciplined  of  Emin's 
stations.  Abdullali  Aga  seemed  to  live  in  perfect 
friendship  with  his  soldiers,  and  Avas  thoroughly 
respected  by  them.  He  alone,  too,  of  all  the  chiefs  of 
stations  to  the  north  of  Dufile  was  able  to  prevent 
his  soldiers  from  robbing  the  natives  round  the 
station.  The  consequence  was  that  there  were 
numbers  of  Bari  villages  near  the  station  the  in- 
habitants of  which  availed  themselves  of  the  pro- 
tection of  the  soldiers,  and  lived  in  perfect  peace  and 
friendship  with  them,  instead  of,  as  was  the  case  in 
the  other  stations,  moving  their  villages  as  far  as 
possible  from  it. 

Near  this  station  large  herds  of  the  small  cream- 
coloured  cattle  of  the  country  might  be  seen  feeding 
on  the  savannahs,  the  only  place  where  they  were  to 
be  seen  beween  Dufile  and  Rejaf ;  nor  was  the 
collecting  of  the  grain  tax  abused  as  it  was  at  the 
other  stations.  The  owner  of  each  hut  was  supposed 
to  pay  a  small  basket  of  corn  to  government,  and 
this  tax  was  collected  twice  a  year.  Small  parties 
of  soldiers  commanded  by  some  scoundrel  of  an 
officer  would  from  time  to  time  go  out  to  collect  it. 
It  may  be  imagined  how  this  custom,  not  in  itself 
bad,  was  abused.  The  brutal  soldiers  would  take 
goats,  fowls,  and  cattle,  and  even  women  and 
children  from  the  natives,  who  were  afraid  to  oppose 
them,  and  they  would  often  demand  the  payment  of 
the  tax  three  or  four  times  over  in  the  year.  This 
custom  existed  also  in  Gordon's  time,  and  has  been 
termed  by  him  brigandage  of  the  worst  description. 

Of  course  in  the  southern  stations,  which  were 
more   immediately  under  Emin's  influence,  things 


124 


Emin  Pasha. 


were  much  better,  but  even  there  he  was  unable  to 
entirely  check  the  abuse  of  this  custom, 

Abdullah  Aga,  however,  managed  to  keep  his 
soldiers  under  control,  and  the  relations  between 
Emin's  people  and  the  natives  near  Muggi  seemed  to 
be  extremely  satisfactory. 


CHAPTER  V. 


THE  BARI  TRIBE. 

Physique  of  the  Baris— Dress — Iron  ornaments — Powers  of  chiefs — 
Fines  for  different  ofifences — jNfodes  of  making  war — Weapons — 
Hunting — Huts  and  villages — Storing  food — Polygamy — Dogs 
— Cattle — Method  of  tending  cattle — Milking — Domestic 
animals — Alimentation-  -Tobacco — Bari  cookery — Relations  be- 
tween married  people — Ceremonies  connected  with  child  birth- 
Ceremonies  connected  with  marriage — Position  of  women — 
Funeral  ceremonies — Religious  superstitions — Office  of  rain- 
maker— Their  customs  and  position. 

During  my  stay  at  Kirri  and  Muggi,  I  had 
collected  a  good  many  facts  about  tlie  habits, 
customs,  etc.,  of  the  Baris,  a  tribe  whose  people 
interested  me  greatly.  Their  country  extended  from 
Labore  to  Lado. 

Emin  also  gave  me  a  good  many  facts  about  their 
dress,  marriage  customs,  punishments,  etc. 

The  Baris  are  a  tall,  lean  race,  sometimes  measur- 
ing over  six  feet  in  height ;  their  legs  are  very  long, 
being  quite  out  of  proportion  to  the  length  of  their 
bodies,  which  gives  them  a  peculiar  knock-kneed 
appearance.  They  are  of  a  dark  chocolate  colour, 
the  women  being  somewhat  lighter  than  the  men. 
Their  hands  and  feet  are  large,  the  latter  being 
extremely  flat,  as  is  the  case  with  most  negroes. 
They  have  'high  foreheads,  which  are  very  narrow, 
and  give  the  head  a  queer  pointed  appearance. 
Their  eyes  are  bright,  the  teeth  ordinarily  good,  but 


126 


Emin  Pasha. 


somewhat  yellow,  the  four  front  teeth  in  the  lower 
jaw  being  always  extracted.  Though  the  Baris  are 
an  ugly  race,  their  faces  are  not  unpleasing  and  are 

much  more  good-natured 
than  the  Madis  or  the  Lurs. 
They  do  not  make  good 
servants  and  are  too  cow- 
ardly for  soldiers.  The  men 
are  almost  always  entirely 
without  clothing,  and  only 
those  who  lived  near  Emin's 
stations,  or  were  in  Govern- 
ment employ,  adopted  cloth- 
ing like  the  soldiers.  The 
girls,  until  they  marry, 
wear  ordinarily  a  belt  made 
of  the  cotton  of  the  country, 
with  fringes  in  front  and  a 
very  thick  tassel  behind. 
This  belt  is  usually  de- 
corated with  iron  ornaments, 
and  is  always  dyed  red  with 
a  kind  of  red  ochreous  clay 
which  is  found  in  the  coun- 
try. Besides  these  belts 
there  exist  different  kinds 
of  girdles  of  undressed  skin 
or  cotton,  worked  with 
iron  wire,  from  which  are 
suspended  various  iron  orna- 
ments of  different  patterns, 
such  as  half  moons,  bells,  discs,  sequins,  or  small  iron 
chains.  These  latter  are  often  woven  together 
so  as  to  form  a  mail-like  apron,  which  is  worn 


BARI  MAN. 


Bari  Ornaments. 


in  front.  Iron  is  very  valuable  in  tlie  country, 
and  these  iron  ornaments  are  only  worn  by  rich 
people. 

Married  Avomen,  before  liaving  bad  children, 
wear  in  front  a  fringed  belt,  and  at  the  back  an 
apron  of  dressed  skin,  or- 
namented with  beads  or 
iron,  and  dyed  red.  AVomen, 
after  having  had  children, 
abandon  the  fringed  belt, 
and  adopt  in  addition  to 
the  back  apron  a  front 
apron  of  the  same  descrip- 
tion. 

Both  men  and  women 
wear  iron  bracelets  and 
anklets,  sometimes  j&ve  or 
six,  one  over  another.  They 
have  a  variety  of  iron  neck- 
laces, worked  necklets  of 
the  same  metal,  and  wear 
also  round  their  necks 
strings  of  roots,  different 
shaped  bits  of  wood,  and 
Avooden  whistles.  They  are 
very  fond  of  little  tortoise 
shells,  but  what  they  prize 
most  are  necklaces  of  dogs' 
teeth. 

They  wear  no  ear-rings,  nor  do  they  perforate  their 
noses  like  most  of  the  surrounding  tribes,  and  they 
have  no  particular  tribal  marks. 

Tattooing  is  confined  to  a  few  incisions  only  on  the 
upper  part  of  the  arms.    The  heads  of  both  men  and 


UAKl  WOMAN, 


1 


128  Emin  Pasha. 

women  are  always  shaven  and  the  hairs  on  the  body 
are  always  carefully  extracted.  They  are  not 
very  particular  about  washing,  but  on  every 
occasion  love  to  smear  themselves  from  head  to  foot 
with  a  mixture  of  oil  and  red  ochre.  The  oil  they 
mostly  use  in  their  country  is  extracted  from  the 
seeds  of  the  stereospermura  tree.  In  spite  of  this, 
however,  the  Baris  have  no  foetid  smell  like  so  many 
of  the  surrounding  tribes. 

There  are  really  no  large  chiefs  among  the  Baris, 
but  the  people  are  divided  into  small  communities, 
the  chiefs  of  which  are  almost  despotic,  and  settle  all 
questions  and  disputes  among  their  subjects  with 
great  fairness.  These  questions  are  usually  on  the 
subject  of  cattle-stealing  or  quarrels  about  women, 
and  the  offenders  are  punished  by  fines  in  cattle, 
sheep,  goats,  or  iron  hoes,  in  proportion  to  the 
masfnitude  of  their  offence. 

Murderers  are  fined  from  ten  to  twenty  cows,  and 
in  case  of  inability  to  pay,  the  murderer  is  handed 
over  to  the  relations  of  his  victim,  who  deal  with  him 
as  they  please.  Abduction  or  seduction  is  punished 
by  a  fine  of  goats,  sheep,  or  iron  hoes,  not  exceeding 
twenty  in  number  ;  if  the  offender  is  unable  to  pay  he 
is  publicly  flogged  and  expelled  from  the  village. 
The  woman  or  girl  is  free  from  punishment.  Steal- 
ing is  punished  by  an  adequate  fine,  but  if  the  thief 
proves  incorrigible,  his  right  hand  is  cut  off. 

A  proportion  of  every  fine  belongs  to  the  chief  ;  but 
he  has  no  right  to  exact  tribute  from  his  subjects, 
and  is  allowed  only  to  compel  a  certain  number  of 
them  to  assist  him  in  tilling  his  fields.  All  ivory 
brought  in  belongs  to  the  chief. 


Bari  Weapons. 


These  small  communities  are  constantly  at  war  with 
each  other,  and  their  mode  of  warfare  is  somewhat 
strange.  The  chiefs  of  the  opposing  parties  before  a 
battle,  sit  down  at  a  certain  distance  from  each 
other  with  all  the  people,  and  begin  to  abuse  each 
other,  until  the  people  are  worked  up  to  the  proper 
pitch  for  fighting.  The  chiefs  then  retire  and 
leave  the  people  to  fight  it  out,  whilst  they  them- 
selves get  out  of  reach  of  danger.  This  mode 
of  abusing  each  other  before  a  battle,  reminds  one  of 
the  old  Scandinavians  who  used  to  sing  "  spite 
songs "  at  each  other.  The  warriors  attack  one 
another,  first  at  a  good  distance,  and  gradually,  as 
their  blood  gets  warm,  they  come  to  hand-to-hand 
fighting  with  spears.  The  loss  of  life  in  these  fights 
is  seldom  great. 

Declarations  of  war  are  made  by  the  chief,  who 
sometimes  consults  his  old  people,  but  ordinarily  the 
opinions  of  old  people  are  not  much  valued,  nor  are 
they  treated  particularly  well. 

The  weapons  used  in  warfare  are  bows,  arrows, 
and  spears.  The  bows  are  large  and  somewhat  stilJ, 
and  are  made  of  a  sort  of  mountain  bamboo,  not 
unlike  cane,  the  arrows  are  not  feathered,  and  have 
very  heavy  points  made  of  iron  or  the  ebony  wood  of 
the  country.  The  latter  are  always  covered  with  a 
thick  coat  of  poison,  composed  of  the  juice  of  the 
Candelabra  Euphorbium  tree,  which,  when  fresh, 
produces  a  strong  irritation,  but  is  not  always  fatal. 
The  Baris  in  fighting,  use  no  shields ;  those  near  the 
borders  of  the  Dinka  country  use  the  heavy  clubs  of 
the  Dinkas.  The  same  weapons  which  are  used  in 
war  are  used  also  in  hunting,  but  the  Baris  are  not 


I30 


Emin  Pasha. 


great  hunters,  and  if  leopards  or  lions  decimate  their 
flocks  they  do  not  turn  out  en  masse,  like  other  cattle- 
breeding  tribes,  to  hunt  down  the  marauders,  but 
prefer  to  address  their  medicine  men,  and  obtain  from 
them  some  charm  or  spell,  for  which  they  pay  some- 
times very  heavily  in  sheep  or  goats. 

Elephants  and  antelopes  are  hunted  down  by  large 
companies  of  hunters,  the  former  somewhat  rarely, 
but  the  latter  often.  The  meat  is  equally  divided 
among  them,  but  a  portion,  usually  the  head  and 
breast,  is  set  aside  for  the  chief.  They  are  very 
particular  about  keeping  to  their  own  hunting 
grounds,  and  if  an  antelope  is  wounded  and  dies  in 
the  country  of  a  neighbouring  community,  the  chief  is 
allowed  to  retain  for  himself  the  head  and  hind  leg. 
The  flesh  of  dogs  or  carnivorous  animals  is  never 
eaten.  Fishing  is  largely  practised  by  the  Baris,  but 
the  can-oes  that  are  used  by  them  for  fishing  or 
crossing  rivers  are  always  small,  ill-made,  and 
ricketty,  owing  to  there  being  no  large  or  straight 
trees  in  their  country.  They  generally  propel  them 
with  long  poles,  and  occasionally  with  long  spoon- 
shaped  paddles.  Fish  are  ordinarily  caught  in 
baskets  or  by  harpoons;  iron  hooks  are  also 
frequently  used.  There  are  professional  crocodile 
hunters,  who  kill  crocodiles  with  spears  or  harpoons  ; 
these  eat  the  flesh  of  young  crocodiles.  The  glands, 
which  contain  a  secretion,  smelling  ver}^  strongly  of 
musk,  are  greatly  prized  ;  they  are  dried,  fastened  to 
strings,  and  worn  as  necklaces.  In  hunting  hippo- 
potami, harpoons  with  lines  and  floats  are  used  ; 
their  meat  is  highly  approved  of. 

The  Ban  villages  are  scattered,  and  not  always 


Bari  Huts. 


near  flowing  water.  They  consist  of  groups  of  round- 
huts  of  different  sizes,  placed  usually  in  a  circular 
form,  but  with  no  enclosure  of  thorns  round  them. 
The  Avails  of  the  huts  are  very  low  and  are  made  of 
sticks  and  grass,  and  are  generally  plastered  over 
with  a  mixture  of  mud  and  cow-dung. 

The  grass  roof  is  high  and  steep,  and  projects  over 
the  walls,  so  as  to  form  a  sort  of  low  verandah  all 
round  the  hut,  this  is  sometimes  closed  in  so  that  the 
huts  have  an  outer  and  inner  wall,  the  space  between 
the  walls  being  used  as  a  store-room.  In  the  middle 
of  the  hut  is  a  fire-place  made  of  long  stones  driven 
into  the  ground  at  intervals,  on  which  to  stand  the 
cooking-pots.  There  are  no  fixed  sleeping  places, 
but  mats  made  by  the  women  are  laid  on  the  ground, 
while  skins  are  used  as  coverings  ;  the  children  sleep 
promiscuously  with  the  adult  people. 

The  gourds  for  water,  cooking  utensils,  agricultural 
instruments,  weapons,  etc.,  are  suspended  from  the 
roof,  and  become  black  from  the  smoke.  The  huts 
are  very  dark,  having  no  windows,  and  lighted 
only  by  small  low  doorways  through  which  the  people 
have  to  creep  on  their  hands  and  knees.  Some  of 
the  huts,  particularly'-  those  of  the  chiefs,  have 
beautifully  smooth  floors;  they  are  filled  with  a 
mixture  of  mud  and  cow-dung,  and  are  beaten  so 
hard  as  to  become  almost  like  stone.  Some  of  the 
floors  are  neatly  paved  with  little  triangular  pieces 
of  broken  pottery,  and  resemble  black  mosiac  floors, 
so  beautifully,  evenly,  and  closely,  are  they  fitted  to- 
gether. All  the  domestic  work  m  fine  weather  is  done 
out  of  doors,  and  each  hut  has  usually  a  sun  shelter 
where  the  cooking  iii  done,  and  the  children  play. 

K  2 


Eniin  Pasha. 


The  doors  of  the  huts  are  made  of  split  bamboo 
cane,  and  cover  the  doorways  very  closely;  they  slide 
backwards  and  forwards  in  a  grove,  and  are  fastened 
on  the  inside.  Before  the  door  of  each  house  is  a 
nicely  cleaned  floor  made  of  mud  and  cow-dung,  it 
is  always  kept  in  good  order,  and  is  used  for  spreading 
out  corn,  vegetables,  or  flour,  to  dry. 

In  the  middle  of  every  village  there  is  a  large  floor 
of  the  same  description,  for  dancing.  Each  hut  has 
its  grinding  stones  which  are  worked  by  women  only  ; 
it  has  also  one  or  more  granaries  made  of  split 
bamboo  plastered  with  mud,  and  standing  on  high 
legs  of  wood  or  stone, — large  ones  for  corn  and 
smaller  ones  for  sesame  or  hyptis.  These  granaries 
serve  also  as  receptacles  for  the  ornaments  or  house- 
hold goods  which  the  owner  of  the  hut  has  not  in 
every  day  use. 

Among  the  Baris,  polygamy  is  limited  only  by  the 
extent  of  a  man's  fortune.  Every  woman  with  her 
children  has  her  own  hut  and  granaries,  containing 
whatever  she  is  able  to  sow  and  reap,  for  the  woman 
has  to  support  herself  and  her  children.  She  sows, 
weeds,  tends,  and  reaps  her  own  crops,  the  husband 
doing  all  the  heavy  work,  such  as  clearing  the 
ground,  building  her  hut,  etc.  For  the  purpose  of 
clearing,  the  men  use  a  large  heart-shaped  iron  hoe 
fixed  to  a  heavy  and  cumbersome  handle,  the  women 
use  a  neat  little  spud  of  the  same  make  for  weeding 
and  planting.  In  every  hut  there  are  one  or  two 
dogs  of  the  common  African  pariah  species.  Though 
the  Baris  are  fond  of  their  dogs,  they  do  not  look 
after  them  much ;  they  are  therefore  great  thieves. 
The  dogs  are  usually  of  a  yellowish  colour,  with  the 


Bai'i  Dojnestic  Animals.  1 33 

toes  and  tip  of  the  tail  white,  or  of  a  black  colour 
with  tan  eyebrows,  with  the  toes  and  tip  of  the  tail 
white.  This  latter  is,  according  to  Darwin,  the 
original  dog  from  which  all  other  species  have  sprung. 
Domestic  animals,  besides  cattle,  goats,  sheep,  dogs, 
and  fowls  do  not  exist.  Occasionally  domestic  cats 
are  found  amongst  the  Baris,  but  these  have  been 
introduced  from  Khartoum  and  are  greatly  prized  by 
the  natives.    These  cats,  however,  ordinarily  breed 


BAEI  CATTLE  AND  GOAT. 


with  the  wild  cat  of  the  country,  and  even  in  the  first 
generation  become  perfectly  wild. 

The  cattle  are  of  the  small  humped  description, 
common  all  over  Africa ;  they  are  of  a  whitish  cream 
colour,  and  i-arely  have  long  horns ;  they  are  almost 
always  thin  and  are  not  good  milkers.  The  Baris 
love  their  cattle,  and  it  is  the  only  thing  they  really 
look  after  well ;  you  may  take  a  man's  sheep  or  goats, 
or  even  his  women,  and  he  will  get  over  it,  but  take 
his  cattle  and  he  will  fight  to  the  death ;  you  may  as 


134 


Emin  Pasha. 


well  take  his  life,  for  his  life  is  not  worth  having 
without  them.  Near  ever}^  village  is  a  high  en- 
closure of  Euphorbium  trees,  with  a  narrow  entrance, 
closed  at  night  by  thorns.  I'his  is  the  cattle  kraal. 
These  hedges,  by  reason  of  their  poisonous  thorns,  are 
practically  impervious  to  the  attacks  of  men  and 
wild  animals.  The  ground  in  the  middle  of  these 
enclosures  is  always  well  swept,  the  cow-dung  is 
collected  in  heaps  and  dried  ;  this  is  burnt  at  evening 
in  the  midst  of  the  cattle,  the  smoke  protecting  them 
from  the  bites  of  the  mosquitoes.  All  round  the 
inside  of  the  kraal  there  are  huts  for  calves  or  sick 
cows  and  for  the  watchmen. 

In  the  morning  the  cows  are  milked  as  soon  as  the 
the  village  drum  is  beaten.  The  milkman,  before 
milking,  washes  his  face  and  hands,  as  well  as  the 
udder  of  the  cow,  and  the  vessel  into  which  he  milks, 
with  cow's  urine.  Women  are  never  permitted  to 
milk  or  to  meddle  in  any  way  with  the  cows.  When 
milking  is  finished  and  the  dew  is  dried,  the  cattle 
are  driven  out  by  the  young  men,  who  are  fully 
armed,  and  the  whole  cattle  of  the  village  feed 
together.  At  about  five  o'clock  the  cattle  are  driven 
home  and  again  milked.  The  Baris  seldom  drink 
the  milk  fresh,  but  prefer  it  in  a  curdled  state ;  it  is 
supposed  to  be  more  digestible. 

Cattle  are  seldom  slaughtered,  except  on  great 
occasions,  such  as  the  death  or  marriage  of  a  chief, 
peace  after  war,  and  so  forth.  If  cattle  die  of 
disease  the  meat  is  always  eaten.  Death  is  very 
frequent  amongst  cattle,  from  diseases  of  the  lungs 
and  liver.  Strong  cattle  are  bled,  as  is  the  custom 
also  in  Masai  land ;  the  blood  is  mixed  with  oil  and 


Alivientation. 


135 


flour  and  is  made  into  a  thick  soup,  which  is  much 
liked  and  is  considered  a  great  delicacy.  Raw  meat 
is  never  eaten. 

People  will  not  sell  their  cattle,  and  very  un- 
willingly part  with  those  which  have  to  be  given  as 
marriage  dowries.  The  sheep  and  goats  are  lean 
and  dry  like  the  cows,  o^ving  to  the  poorness  of  the 
grass  and  the  numerous  parasites  which  infest  the 
savanahs  and  fasten  on  to  every  anima-l  which 
feeds  there. 

Each  village  has  a  large  flock  of  sheep  and  goats, 
and  their  flesh  is  eaten  comparatively  often;  their 
skins  are  in  great  request  for  making  belts  and 
girdles.  Fowls  are  frequent,  but  are  small  and  not 
very  productive. 

Every  chief  has  a  pet  amongst  his  goats  or  cattle, 
and  this  animal  enjoys  a  kind  of  veneration.  It  is 
considered  a  great  disgrace  for  a  chief  to  be  deprived 
of  it  in  a  raid  made  by  his  neighbours. 

Red  dhurra  corn,  of  a  very  bitter  description,  is 
planted  extensively,  but  is  very  slow  in  coming  to 
maturity ;  the  people  do  not  care  to  supplant  it  by 
another  kind  of  dhurra  of  a  sweeter  description,  for 
fear  of  losing  their  harvest  by  reason  of  the  millions 
of  weaver  birds  which  infest  the  country ;  but  they 
do  not  attack  the  red  dhurra.  The  corn  is  not  only 
used  for  making  bread,  but  for  making  a  kind  of 
thick  muddy  drink  of  an  intoxicating  description. 
Sesame  is  planted  extensively  for  the  sake  of  the  oil, 
which  is  obtained  by  roasting  and  grinding  the  seed, 
and  boiling  the  flour  in  the  water.  Sesame,  likewise 
after  having  been  made  into  flour,  is  made  into  a 
kind  of  porridge  and  mixed  with  meat  or  vegetables. 


136 


Emin  Pasha. 


A  small  kind  of  white  bean  is  also  gro^^^l  by  the  Baris  ; 
these,  however,  do  not  keep  long,  and  become  quickly 
worm  eaten.  Hyptis  is  a  strong  scented  plant  with 
a  gpike  full  of  small  blackish  or  whitish  seeds,  from 
which  a  kind  of  oil  is  expressed ;  the  grains  are 
also  eaten  as  porridge.  Round  hard  ground  nuts 
are  extensively  grown.  Eleusine  or  tuUaboon,  a 
small  prolific  brownish  corn,  is  largely  grown,  but 
this  species  is  often  destroyed  by  locusts.  Hybiscus 
sabdariffa  is  also  cultivated ;  the  unripe  pods  of  this 
plant  are  slightly  acid,  and  are  put  into  soup;  the 
leaves  are  eaten  like  spinach,  and  the  ripe  seeds,  of 
a  blackish  colour,  when  boiled  form  a  kind  of 
mucilaginous  fluid,  which  is  eaten  with  bread.  The 
seeds  of  this  plant  were  used  by  Emin  Pasha's  people 
as  a  substitute  for  coffee.  There  are  two  kinds  of 
tobacco,  one  with  a  white  and  a  pink  flower,  which 
furnishes  a  mild  tobacco,  and  one  with  a  yellow 
flower,  which  yields  a  stronger  leaf.  They  are  only 
grown  near  huts  and  villages,  and  never  in  sufficient 
quantities  to  furnish  an  article  of  trade.  The  Baris 
only  put  a  small  amount  of  tobacco  into  their  huge 
cup-like  pipes,  and  fill  them  up  to  the  brim  with 
red  hot  charcoal,  the  carbonic  gas  of  which  pro- 
duces a  kind  of  intoxication. 

There  is  no  special  way  of  preparing  tobacco,  it 
being  merely  dried  in  the  sun  ;  the  Eastern  Baris, 
however,  collect  the  leaves  whilst  green  and  pound 
them  in  a  mortar ;  they  roll  the  pulp  thus  made  into 
balls  and  dry  them  in  the  sun.  This  tobacco  has 
no  pleasant  smell,  the  fermentation  completely 
spoiling  it. 

Besides   these    plants,    pumpkins,    gourds,  and 


Family  Ctistoyns. 


climbing  potatoes  (Helmia)  are  grown,  and  from  the 
fields  wild  plants  are  gathered  and  eaten  like 
spinach. 

The  Baris'  cooking  is  somewhat  rough,  and  their 
cooking  pots  are  not  kept  very  clean.  Potter}^  is 
always  made  by  the  Avomen,  from  the  biggest  water 
jars  down  to  tobacco-pipes.  The  water  and  cooking 
pots  are  always  round  at  the  bottom  and  are  some- 
times marked  with  rows  of  straight  lines ;  they  are  of 


BARI  COOKING  POTS  AKD  GODRD. 

a  dull  black  and  are  never  coloured  in  anyway.  The 
clay  of  the  country  is  well  adapted  for  making 
pottery,  which  is  better  and  stronger  than  that  of 
most  tribes.  Cooking,  too,  is  always  done  by  women  ; 
each  woman  cooks  for  her  oAvn  family.  On 
her  husband  saying  he  will  stay  with  her  that 
evening  she  has  to  prepare  a  pot  of  beer  for  him. 
The  husband  eats  by  himself,  and  the  woman  is 
usually  obliged  to  wait  on  him,  and  is  not  allowed  to 
sit  down  while  he  eats.    If  the  man  is  well  disposed, 


138 


Emin  Pasha. 


he  calls  in  the  children  of  the  wife  with  whom  he  is 
temporarily  staying,  to  eat  with  him  ;  in  an  ordinary 
way,  however,  the  children  eat  afterwards  with  the 
mother.  Before  meals  a  small  clean  mat  is  spread 
on  the  ground.  As  a  rule,  Baris  are  very  spare 
eaters,  but  they  gorge  themselves  on  special  occa- 
sions. They  are,  however,  able  to  fast  for  days 
together  without  complaining.  Drunkenness  is  very 
exceptional  among  the  Baris,  although  the  men  daily 
partake  freely  of  their  native  beer,  made  of  red 
dhurra  corn. 

The  relations  between  married  people  are  as  a  rule 
good,  and  a  man  rarely  beats  his  wives  ;  a  wife  with 
children  is  hardly  ever  beaten.  The  women  quarrel 
a  good  deal  amongst  themselves,  and  are  very 
jealous  of  each  other  ;  their  idea  of  morality  is  not 
high,  but  as  the  husbands  are  not  very  particular, 
quarrels  on  that  subject  seldom  arise.  Immoralit}" 
amongst  unmarried  girls  is  very  uncommon,  for 
a  girl  of  loose  character  would  at  once  lose  her  com- 
mercial value. 

There  are  no  particular  ceremonies  about  child- 
birth. When  a  child  is  born,  it  is  rubbed  over  with  a 
mixture  of  oil  and  red  ochre,  and  this  process  is 
repeated  every  two  days.  The  mother  remains  in 
her  house  for  eight  days  after  her  confinement ;  her 
husband  then  pays  her  a  visit,  accompanied  by  his 
own  or  his  wife's  mother,  and  they  proceed  to  name 
the  child.  Male  children  are  usually  called  after 
animals,  female  children  after  flowers,  but  if  the 
child  has  some  marked  physical  peculiarity,  its  name 
has  generally  some  reference  to  this.  The  birth  of  a 
female  child,  is  as  a  rule  hailed  with  greater  satis- 


Marriage  Customs. 


139 


faction  than  that  of  a  boy,  except  in  cases  where  an 
heir  is  born  to  a  chief  ;  then  there  is  a  good  deal  of 
drinking  and  rejoicing.  There  is  a  great  mortality 
among  Bari  children,  up  to  the  age  of  three  or  four 
years  ;  this  is  probably  due  to  their  irregular 
feeding. 

At  one  time  the  mother  will  stuff  them  with  food, 
and  at  another  will  leave  them  for  days  together 
with  hardly  anything  to  eat.  This  is  evidently  the 
reason  why  pendant  stomachs  are  so  constantly  seen 
in  young  children.  The  birth  of  twins  is  not  unusual, 
and  is  ahvays  considered  lucky.  Twins  are  often 
called  Kenyi  and  Tomba,  and  it  will  be  generally 
found  that  Baris  with  these  names  are  twins.  As  a 
rule  the  women  are  not  prolific,  a  family  of  four  or 
five  children  being  considered  a  large  one.  Girls 
marry  at  the  age  of  twelve  or  thirteen,  there  is  no 
particular  ceremony  on  this  occasion,  but  a  good  deal 
of  drinking  goes  on,  and  if  the  intermarrying  parties 
are  children  of  chiefs,  some  cattle  are  slaughtered 
and  a  big  feast  is  made.  The  price  of  a  girl  has 
always  to  be  paid  before  any  preparations  for 
marriage  can  be  made,  and  belongs  entirely  to  the 
girl's  father.  If,  after  a  certain  lapse  of  time,  the 
newly  married  woman  gives  birth  to  children,  her 
father  has  to  return  to  her  a  certain  portion  of  the 
price  paid  for  her  by  her  husband.  These  cattle  are 
her  own  property  and  go  towards  the  maintenance 
of  her  children.  If  on  the  other  hand  she  has  no 
children,  her  husband  has  the  right  to  send  her  back 
to  her  father,  and  he  may  demand  the  return  of  a 
certain  number  of  the  cattle  he  paid  for  her.  Such  a 
woman  is  permitted  to  marry  again,  but  her  value  is 


I40 


Emin  Pasha. 


somewhat  lessened.  Women  are  allowed  to  visit 
their  relations  in  distant  villages,  and  it  is  a 
recognized  rule  among  Baris  that  these  women 
should  never  be  molested  in  any  w^ay,  even  in  war 
time.  Thus  they  are  often  able  to  act  as  ambassadors 
and  peace-makers  between  contending  tribes.  Old 
women  are  greatly  respected,  and  frequently  hold  the 
position  of  doctors  or  sorceresses.  The  mother  of  a 
chief  is  always  looked  up  to,  but  she  has  no  voice  in 
village  councils  ;  old  men  are  not  cared  for  at  all. 

Baris  are  generally  long-lived  for  negroes.  There 
are  very  few  deformed  people  to  be  seen  among 
them,  and  fatal  diseases  are  rare  ;  but  eye  diseases, 
tumours,  and  syphilis  are  common;  to  guard  against 
this  last  disease  innoculation  is  sometimes  practised, 
but  with  no  good  results,  however.  Epidemics  of 
small-pox  and  a  low  kind  of  typhoid  fever  often 
carry  off  thousands,  and  famine  arising  from  drought 
often  adds  greatly  to  the  mortality. 

When  an  ordinary  person  dies  there  is  a  good  deal 
of  weeping  and  wailing  for  a  couple  of  days,  and  he 
is  buried  in  a  reclining  position  ;  but  if  a  person  of 
some  standing  dies,  he  is  buried  in  a  sitting  posture, 
with  a  cow  hide  above  and  below  him,  and  some 
corn  is  put  near  him.  After  the  grave  has  been 
filled  in  and  levelled,  an  ox  is  killed  and  the  meat  is 
divided  amongst  the  people.  Offerings  of  flour  or 
corn  are  laid  on  the  grave,  and  if  any  relative  of  the 
deceased  dreams  about  him,  he  hastens  to  add  some 
new  offering  to  those  already  given. 

There  are  no  traces  whatever  of  a  religious  belief 
among  the  Baris,  or  a  belief  in  a  future  life,  nor  are 
there  any  places  set  apart  for  worship.    The  only 


Bari  Snperstitions.  1 4 1 


■way  in  which  they  show  any  thought  of  the  deceased 
is  by  carving  rough  images  of  him  and  placing  them 
in  his  house,  but  there  is  no  particular  reverence  for 
these  images.  If  a  chief  dies,  his  whole  property, 
wives,  cattle,  etc.,  belong  to  his  eldest  son,  who  is 
free  to  give  to  his  brothers  what  he  pleases;  his 
sisters  do  not  receive  anything.  The  deceased's 
wives  become  the  legitimate  wives  of  his  son,  his  own 


BARI  HOE  FOR  MEN.  BARI  SPUD  FOR  WOMEN. 

mother  excepted,  and  she  is  not  allowed  to  marry 
again. 

As  everywhere  among  negroes,  there  exist  many 
superstitions,  always  connected  with  animals  or 
sorcerers.  The  howl  of  a  jackal,  or  the  screech  of  an 
owl,  near  a  house,  forebodes  the  death  of  the  owner. 
If  anyone  sees  a  hare  cross  his  path,  he  at  once 
returns  home  and  remains  in  his  house  for  the  rest 
of  the  day.  The  song  of  a  wagtail  before  the  door 
of  a  house,  foretells  the  near  approach  of  a  guest. 
The  howling  of  dogs  without  apparent  reason  is 


142 


Emin  Pasha. 


supposed  to  foretell  the  coming  of  disease.  Lions 
and  leopards  are  believed  to  be  under  the  control  of 
sorcerers,  and  never  attack  men  or  cattle  unless  by 
their  order.  Hyaenas  are  believed  to  be  forms  taken 
by  men  who  go  round  to  work  mischief — this  belief 
also  holds  among  the  Arabs. 

Bain-maJcers.  The  office  of  rain-maker  to  a  tribe, 
or  to  a  certain  community  of  a  tribe,  descends  from 
father  to  son.  The  rain-maker  is  a  very  important 
personage,  and  is  constantly  propitiated  by  gifts. 
The  father,  on  dying,  commits  the  secrets  of  rain- 
making  to  the  son  who  is  to  succeed  him,  and  also 
hands  over  to  him  certain  stones  which  are  used  in 
the  charm.  These  stones  are  small  and  flat,  and 
are  apparently  in  no  way  different  from  ordinary 
stones. 

When  rain  is  to  be  made,  victims,  fowls,  goats,  or 
even  cows,  are  killed,  and  their  blood  is  sprinkled  by 
the  rain-maker  on  these  stones.  He  then  places 
them  in  a  calabash  of  clean  water  and  carries  it  to 
the  nearest  running  water ;  he  puts  the  calabash 
just  as  it  is,  in  the  stream  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  or 
sometimes  longer.  He  then  removes  the  stones,  and 
buries  them,  and  finally  sits  on  the  place  where  they 
are  buried,  continuing  the  incantations  which  he  has 
constantly  kept  up  since  the  beginning  of  the 
ceremony.  The  stones  remain  buried  for  some  hours 
or  sometimes  even  for  days,  and  are  dug  up  when  the 
rain  comes. 

The  victims  killed  at  the  commencement  of  the 
ceremony  belong  to  the  rain-maker.  Rain-makers 
constantly  incur  the  wrath  of  their  tribe  by  their 
non-success,  and  are  in  such  cases  usually  killed  and 


Rain-Makers. 


their  possessions  are  confiscated.  It  is  not  unusual 
for  the  chiefs  themselves  to  be  rain-makers.  Baker, 
in  his  book  on  the  discovery  of  the  Albert  Nyanza, 
gives  some  very  amusing  stories  of  an  old  Latooka 
chief,  who  was  the  rain-maker  of  his  tribe,  and  of  the 
shifts  to  which  he  resorted  to  keep  up  his  character  be- 
fore his  people.  He  would  constantly  come  before 
Baker  who  had  an  aneroid,  to  try  and  get  out  of  him  if 
there  was  any  chance  of  rain  coming,  so  that  he 
could  announce  it  to  his  people,  and  pose  as  a  prophet, 
and  make  capital  out  of  their  credulity.  He  used 
always  to  be  complaining  of  the  meanness  of  the 
presents  his  people  gave  him  in  return  for  his 
wonderful  gift. 

Emin  told  me  that  once  a  chief  from  the  Latooka 
country  fled  to  him  some  years  before,  for  pro- 
tection against  his  own  people,  who  were  enraged 
against  him  because  he  could  not  bring  enough  rain. 
He  was  obliged  to  remain  for  over  five  months  in 
Emin's  station  before  things  could  be  made  sufficiently 
smooth  to  admit  of  his  returning  to  his  people. 

One  of  the  Bari  rain-makers  disappeared  for  some 
time,  either  from  fear,  or  perhaps  because  he  was 
dissatisfied  with  the  value  of  his  presents.  The 
season  proved  a  dry  one,  and  great  was  the  woe  of 
the  people  at  his  disappearance.  After  some  time 
he  returned  and  was  received  with  the  greatest 
rejoicing,  presents  came  in,  m  numbers,  and  his 
character  received  a  fresh  lustre  from  the  fact  that  a 
dry  season  had  followed  his  disappearance.  These 
people  probably  know  some  simple  rules  about  the 
weather,  and  by  being  carefully  observant  know 
pretty  well  when  rain  may  be  expected.  Perhaps 


144 


Emm  Pasha. 


this  fellow,  for  some  reason,  foresaw  that  a  dry 
season  was  likely  to  occur,  and  profited  by  it 
accordingly,  and  instead  of  waiting  and  bearing  the 
odium  of  the  people,  cleverly  turned  it  to  his  own 
advantage. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


BEGINKING  OF  THE  EEIiELLTON. 

Arrival  at  Lahore — Reading  of  the  I-etters — Mutin}'  of  the  Soldiers — 
Speaking  to  the  iSIutineers — Sohlicrs'  distrust  of  their  Mudir— 
Demeanour  of  Kmin's  followers — The  Mutineers  send  for  me — 
Departure  for  Clior  Ayu — Tlie  Mahdistsat  Boa — Khedive's  letter 
sent  to  Eejaf — Emin's  opinion  of  the  Khedive's  letter — Desertion 
of  Emin's  orderly — Letter  annoiincinj;'  rebellion  of  2nd  Battalion — 
Emin's  distress  at  the  news — Short-sightedness  ol  Emin's  people — 
Our  departure  for  Dutile — -Rain  and  Sunshine — Dreary  appeal - 
ance  of  country  — We  prepare  to  enter  Dufile. 

We  arrived  at  Labore  on  August  12tli ;  it  was  our 
intention  to  stop  there  for  two  days,  and  then  to 
hurry  on  south  to  Wadelai,  there  to  again  try  to  get 
a  party  started  for  Fort  Bodo.  Selim  Aga,  on  our 
arrival,  said  that  he  had  spoken  to  all  the  soldiers 
there,  and  they  had  declared  themselves  ready  to 
begin  the  evacuation  of  the  station.  He  had  sent 
out  a  party  of  Latooka  natives  with  five  soldiers,  to 
obtain  news  of  the  strangers  ;  but  they  had  not  yet 
returned. 

On  the  day  after  our  arrival  I  went  up  to  the 
station  with  Emin  to  speak  to  the  people  before 
leaving  for  the  south. 

I  read  the  Khedive's  and  Stanley's  letters,  and 
explained  as  usual  everything  connected  with  the 
Expedition.  Whilst  I  was  speaking  I  noticed  that 
the  soldiers  were  not  as  attentive  as  was  generally 


146 


Emin  Pasha. 


1 


the  case,  and  that  there  was  a  good  deal  of  whisper-  j 
ing  going  on  amongst  them.  A  large  crowd  of 
people  too,  men,  women,  and  children  had  gathered 
in  dense  masses  on  a  little  bluff,  above  the  place 
where  the  soldiers  were  drawn  up  m  line,  and  there  j 
was  an  uneasy  stir  amongst  them,  as  if  something 
unusual  was  going  to  happen. 

After  I  had  finished  speaking,  Emin,  as  was  his  j 
custom,  added  a  few  words  to  what  I  had  said. 
Whilst  he  was  speaking,  a  big  bull-lieaded,  sullen- 
looking  Soudanese  stepped  out  of  the  ranks,  and 
exclaimed,  "  All  you  have  been  telling  us  is  a  lie,  j 
and  the  letter  you  have  read  out  is  a  forgery,  for  if  i 
it  had  come  from  Effendina  he  would  have  com- 
manded us  to  come,  and  not  have  told  us  we  might 
do  as  we  pleased.    You  do  not  come  from  Egypt,  we 
know  of  only  one  road  to  Egypt,  and  that  is  by 
Khartoum ;  we  will  either  go  by  that  road,  or  will 
live  and  die  in  this  country." 

Emin  instantly  sprang  forward  and  seized  him,  | 
and  trying   to  wrench   his   gun  out  of   his  hand,  , 
shouted  to  his  four  orderlies  to  arrest  the  man,  and  j 
carry  him  off  to  prison.    A  struggle  then  ensued,  | 
and  the  mutineer  shouted  to  his  companions  to  help  j 
him.    Then  arose  a  scene  of  confusion  and  uproar  | 
which   is   impossible   to    describe.     The  soldiers, 
breaking  from  the  ranks,  dashed  at  Emin  and  me  ! 
with   loaded  guns,  and  surrounded  us.    Shouts  of 
hate  and   execration  were   hurled   at   us   as  the 
mutineers  hemmed  us  in  with  guns  pointed  at  us.  i 
Emin  drew  his  sword  and  dared  them  to  come  on.  , 
It  was  a   horrible   moment  as  we  saw  ourselves  1 
surrounded  by  the  infuriated  soldiery,  their  fingers  i 


Mutiny  at  Labor^. 


147 


moving  uneasily  on  the  triggers  of  their  loaded  guns, 
while  they  cursed  us,  with  their  brutal  faces  dis- 
torted with  fury,  and  their  eyes  gleaming  with 
hatred.  For  a  second  it  seemed  to  me  that  this 
was  to  be  the  ending  of  all  our  long  struggle  to 
rescue  Emin  Pasha,  and  the  thought  of  Stanley  and 
my  companions  far  away,  flashed  vividly  through  my 
mind.  At  this  moment,  some  one  called  out  that  my 
orderlies  were  going  to  seize  the  powder  magazine, 
and  with  one  of  those  sudden  changes  of  purpose  so 
characteristic  of  the  negro  character,  the  soldiers 
wrenched  their  companion  from  the  grasp  of  Emin's 
orderlies,  and  rushed  off  to  the  magazine,  bearing 
their  comrade  with  them,  with  shouts  of  defiance  and 
contempt.  Emin  and  I  were  left  standing  almost 
alone,  for  nearly  all  our  followers  had  run  away  in 
terror  at  the  first  outbreak.  Selim  Aga  and  the 
other  officers  had  done  what  they  could  to  quiet  the 
soldiers,  but  they  might  as  well  have  tried  to  still 
the  ocean,  for  their  voices  were  drowned  in  the 
uproar  and  confusion. 

I  begged  Emin  to  go  down  to  his  house  whilst  I 
went  up  to  the  magazines,  and  tried  to  calm  the 
soldiers;  he  refused  to  leave  the  station,  and  said 
he  would  stop  where  he  was  and  wait  for  me. 

I  took  my  boy  Biuza  with  me,  and  went  up  alone 
to  the  magazines,  round  which  the  soldiers  had 
collected,  shouting,  and  excited.  As  I  approached  I 
was  greeted  with  howls  and  yells;  the  soldiers  pointed 
their  guns  at  me,  shouting  to  me  to  keep  off.  I  said 
I  had  merely  come  to  them  as  a  friend,  and  added, 
"  You  see  I  am  alone  and  unarmed,  I  have  no  fear 
of  you,  because  you  are  soldiers  and  not  savages." 

L  2, 


148 


Emin  Pasha. 


They  lowered  their  rifles  and  said,  "  We  will  not 
harm  you,  you  have  nothing  now  to  fear  from  us." 

After  a  minute  or  two  of  trying  to  reassure  them, 
they  became  sufficiently  calmed  down  to  hear  me 
quietly.  I  told  them  how  wrong  they  were,  and  how 
utterly  unnecessary  this  scene  had  been,  a  scene 
which  so  nearly  ended  in  the  massacre  of  their 
Governor,  and  of  me,  the  representative  of  Stanlev 
who  had  brought  this  Expedition  to  help  them.  If 
they  did  not  want  to  go,  and  did  not  believe  we  came 
from  Egypt,  they  could  have  quietly  told  me  so  on 
the  following  day,  for  after  speaking  I  had  asked 
them  to  come  and  see  me  and  tell  me  what  the}- 
thought  about  leaving  the  country.  They  all 
exclaimed  that  it  was  their  Governor's  fault  for 
seizing  their  companion.  "  But,"  I  said,  "  you 
surely  know  enough  about  the  duties  of  soldiers  to 
understand  that  if  a  man  steps  out  of  the  ranks  and 
defies  his  Governor  he  must  be  put  in  prison."  They 
said  that  the  soldier  might  have  been  wrong,  but  the 
Governor,  whom  they  distrusted,  had  no  business  to 
seize  him.  During  the  time  I  was  speaking  to  the 
soldiers,  Emin  sent  up  several  messages  to  entreat  me 
to  come  away,  but  I  felt  now,  after  the  first  excitement 
was  over,  that  I  had  nothing  to  fear  from  the  people. 
The  soldiers  finally  said  they  would  talk  it  over 
amongst  themselves,  and  asked  me  to  come  up  and 
speak  to  them  alone  the  next  day,  but  they  said  they 
would  not  allow  their  Governor  to  enter  the  station. 
I  then  left  them  and  went  back  to  Emin,  and  we 
went  down  to  our  compound  together. 

Had  one  of  those  guns  which  the  soldiers  were 
brandishing  about,  cocked  and  loaded,  gone  off,  there 


Cowardice  of  Eviin's  Followers.  149 


would  have  been  a  general  massacre,  for  if  once  a  gun 
had  been  fired,  there  •would  have  been  no  stopping  the 
excitement  which  would  have  followed,  and  down  we 
should  have  gone.  The  demeanour  of  some  of 
Emin's  followers  during  the  few  risky  minutes  of  that 
first  outburst  was  curious. 

Rajab  Effendi,  Emin's  secretary,  hid  behind  a  tree, 
his  knees  gave  way  from  sheer  terror,  and  he  was 
afterwards  found  there  in  a  state  of  utter  collapse. 
Arif  Elfendi,  another  clerk,  a  most  peculiar  looking 
little  Circassian,  ran  screaming  into  Selim  Aga's 
house,  where  he  hid  under  a  bed,  shouting  out  that 
the  Mudir  and  Mr.  Jephson  had  been  murdered  by 
the  soldiers,  the  black  women  of  the  house  keeping 
up  a  chorus  of  screams.  Hassan  Aga,  the  Pasha's 
hunter,  could  only  sink  on  his  knees  and  pray,  saying, 
"  We  have  nothing  to  defend  ourselves  with,  we 
shall  all  be  murdered  !  Allah  be  merciful  to  us!" 
The  orderly,  who  had  prayers  with  our  boys, 
was  drunk,  and  was  trampled  underfoot  by  the 
furious  soldiers,  who  snatched  his  gun  away  from 
him,  and  kicked  him  brutally.  Vita  Hassan,  the 
apothecary,  had,  at  the  first  rush,  made  off  to  the 
Pasha's  compound,  and  brought  a  revolver  for 
him. 

Emin  was  dreadfully  excited  all  the  evening,  and 
feared  the  soldiers  would  attack  us  that  night,  but  I 
felt  certain  they  would  not  do  that.  After  a  while  I 
sent  for  Selim  Aga  and  the  officers  of  the  station, 
who  came  down  and  had  a  long  talk  with  us.  They 
all  expressed  themselves  horrified  at  what  had 
happened,  and  deplored  the  conduct  of  the  soldiers. 
However,  from  what  he  said,  or  perhaps  more  from 


'50 


Emin  Pasha. 


his  manner  when  he  spoke,  I  felt  a  great  distrust  of 
Surore  Aga  the  chief  of  the  station.  It  transpired 
many  days  afterwards,  that  the  mutineer  who  stepped 
out  of  the  ranks  and  defied  Emin  was  Surore  Aga's 
orderly,  and  had  been  instigated  by  him  to  do  it. 
Surore  Aga,  we  e\»entually  heard,  had,  ever  since 
Stanley's  arrival  at  the  lake,  been  in  constant  com- 
munication with  the  rebels  at  Rejaf.  I  spoke  in  the 
evening  to  Emin's  and  my  orderlies,  and  commended 
them  for  their  conduct  during  the  outbreak  that  after- 
noon. They  had  behaved  with  great  courage,  and 
they,  together  with  my  servant  Binza,  had  helped  me 
greatly  in  quieting  the  soldiers. 

Next  morning  Selim  Aga  sent-  down  word  to  me 
that  the  soldiers  were  all  drawn  up  in  the  station,  and 
would  be  glad  to  speak  to  me.    Both  Emin's  and  my 
orderlies  came  up  and  told  me  they  wished  to  go  with 
me,  and  Emin  begged  me  to  take  them,  but  I  refused, 
knowing  that  nothing  pacifies  excited  people  more 
than  going  amongst  them  alone,  with  apparently  no 
fear.    I  say  apparently,  for  I  must  admit  I  was  not 
comfortable  !    Accordingly  I  went  up  to  the  station, 
followed  only  by  my  boy  Binza,  who  was  to  act  as 
interpreter,  but  I  put  my  revolver  into  my  pocket  in 
case  there  should  be  trouble.    I  found  that  all  the 
soldiers  and  officers  were  drawn  up  properly,  and 
saluted  me  respectfully  as  I  approached.    1  spoke 
long  with  them,  and  told  them  the  chief  fault  lay  with 
the  soldier  who  had  stepped  from  the  ranks  and  told 
us  we  were  liars.    They  admitted  he  was  wrong,  but 
again   blamed  their  Governor  for  seizing  him,  and 
added  that  they  did  not  like  him  and  did  not  trust 
him.     I  used  the  same  arguments  as  those  I  had 


/  argue  with  the  Mtitineers.  1 5 1 

used  on  the  day  before,  and  received  the  same 
answers.  I  further  asked  them  why  they  distrusted 
their  Governor  who  had  been  with  them  for  thirteen 
years.  I  asked  if  the}"  had  ever  known  him  do  an  act 
of  injustice  or  cruelty  to  them.  They  replied,  on 
the  contrar}'-,  he  had  only  done  them  good. 

"  Then  why,"  I  said,  "  if  you  say  he  has  only  done 
you  good  for  thirteen  years,  do  you  think  he  is  going 
to  turn  against  you  now  ?  "  They  answered,  they  dis- 
trusted him  because  he  was  going  to  desert  their 
brethren  in  Rejaf.  I  told  them  it  was  they  who  had 
deserted  him  and  had  made  a  plot  to  capture  him. 
This  the}"  did  not  believe,  and  it  was  no  use  trying  to 
convince  them.  However,  I  told  them  they  were 
perfectly  free  to  act  as  they  wished,  and  to  profit  by 
or  refuse  our  help  as  they  pleased.  We  had  come 
many  hundred  miles  to  help  them,  and  had  fought  a 
great  many  enemies  to  reach  them,  but  never  in  all 
our  fighting  against  our  enemies,  had  I  had  so  many 
weapons  pointed  at  me  as  yesterday,  when  I,  their 
guest,  had  come  amongst  them,  wishing  only  to  help 
the  people  whom  I  imagined  were  friends. 

They  seemed  very  much  ashamed,  and  said  they 
regretted  what  had  happened  yesterday,  so  I  wished 
them  good  morning  and  left  the  station. 

I  found  Emin  and  his  people  somewhat  disturbed 
by  my  long  absence,  for  they  feared  that  the  soldiers 
had  taken  me  prisoner. 

Soon  after,  Selim  Aga  and  the  officers  came  down 
to  greet  us,  as  we  were  to  start  for  Chor  Ayu  that  day. 
They  repeated  what  they  had  said  yesterday,  and 
said  the  soldiers  had  been  tampered  with  by  some 
emissary  from  Rejaf.    Selim  Aga,  the  chief  of  the 


'52 


Emin  Pasha. 


district,  had  already  had  a  good  many  of  his  goods 
transported  to  Dufile,  so  it  seemed  as  if  he  wished  to 
go  out  with  us. 

These  Soudanese  and  Egyptians  of  Emin's  Province 
were  an  evil  lot;  they  would  come  up  and  offer  their 
friendship  and  protestations  of  loyalty,  when  all  the 
time  they  were  plotting  in  their  hearts  the  darkest 
treachery  against  us.  My  boy  Binza  once  said  to 
me,  "Master,  these  are  a  rotten  people,  the  good 
material  in  them  is  not  sufficient  to  make  a  hut,  but 
there  is  enough  evil  in  them  to  build  a  palace." 

We  reached  Chor  Ayu  in  the  afternoon,  intending 
to  stay  three  days,  for  this  was  a  three  days'  holiday, 
called  Id  el  Kebir,  the  most  important  festival  in  the 
Mahomedan  year. 

A  good  deal  of  visiting,  drinking,  and  feasting, 
goes  on  during  these  days,  and  as  neither  the  Pasha 
nor  myself  were  well,  we  preferred  stopping  for  it  in 
the  quiet  station  of  Chor  A^'u,  instead  of  going  on  to 
Dufile,  which  would  be  all  noise  and  confusion.  On 
our  arrival,  we  found  a  letter  from  Dufile.  Hawashi 
Effendi  wrote  to  say,  that  on  getting  Emin's  order  he 
had  sent  out  another  party  to  try  and  get  further 
news  of  the  strangers  in  Latooka.  He  said  that  his 
officer  had  heard  that  the  people  were  a  party  of 
Irregulars  belonging  to  the  Mahdi's  people  in  Bahr 
el  Gliazal.  They  had  landed  at  Boa,  and  had 
made  a  raid  on  the  people  of  Latooka,  who  had 
turned  out  en  masse  and  given  them  a  serious  defeat, 
upon  which  the  Mahdi's  people  had  retired  and  re- 
crossed  the  river  in  their  steamers  and  boats. 

We  heard,  of  course,  that  the  Mahdi's  people  were 
in  the  Bahr  el  Ghazal  Province,  but  it  startled  us  to 


Afore  Neivs  from  Rejaf.  153 

hear  they  had  been  so  close.  Things  were  looking 
bad.  We  also  got  another  letter  from  Hamad  ^ga  in 
Rejaf,  sapng  that  Ali  Aga  Djabor  and  Mahommed 
Effendi  el  Ademi,  the  two  chief  mutineers  of  the  1st 
Battalion,  had  arrived  in  Rejaf  from  Makraka. 
They  said  they  would  not  come  and  see  their 
Governor,  but  that  he  might  come  and  see  them  if  he 
liked.  This  was  extremel}^  condescending  and  kind 
of  them  !  By  the  Pasha's  advice  I  Avrote  to  Hamad 
Aga,  saying  it  had  been  my  intention  as  Stanley's 
representative  to  come  down  to  Rejaf  to  speak  with 
the  people,  and  read  to  them  the  Khedive's  letter. 
Owing,  however,  to  our  being  informed  of  their 
intentions  towards  us,  we  deemed  it  advisable  not  to 
come  down,  but  I  enclosed  a  copy  of  the  Khedive's 
letter,  which  he  could  read  to  the  officers  and  soldiers 
now  that  they  were  all  assembled.  I  further  said, 
that  any  one  in  Rejaf  who  wished  to  see  me  now 
must  come  to  Dufile. 

This  copy  of  the  Khedive's  letter  eventually  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  Mahdi's  general,  who  sent  it 
down  to  Khartoum.  It  was  sent  on  to  Osman  Digna, 
who  forwarded  it  to  General  Grenfell  as  a  proof  that 
the  Equatorial  Province  had  fallen  into  the  Mahdi's 
hands. 

Emin  was  inclined  to  think  that  when  the  chief 
rebels  in  Rejaf  heard  that  the  stations  to  the  south 
were  being  evacuated,  they  would  march  up  and 
carry  the  garrisons  off  to  Rejaf.  From  the  first 
Emin  had  said  that  the  Khedive's  letter  would  have 
a  bad  effect  on  the  people,  he  ought  to  have  com- 
manded them  to  go  to  Egypt  instead  of  leaving  them 
to  decide  for  themselves.    It  was  a  pity,  too,  when  it 


154 


Emm  Pasha. 


was  decided  that  the  Expedition  was  to  be  sent,  that 
some  of  these  people's  relations  in  Egypt  should  not 
have  been  invited  to  send  letters  by  us  to  their 
friends  here.  This  would  have  at  once  put  an  end  to 
their  doubts  as  to  our  connection  with  Egypt. 

Emin  told  me  that  if  we  had  arrived  six  months 
later,  he  would  probably  have  been  lost,  for  his 
prestige  had  received  a  heavy  blow  in  the  rebellion 
at  Rejaf.  It  was  unfortunate  he  had  not 
spoken  a  word  about  it  in  the  letters  he  wrote  to 
Europe,  for  then  things  would  have  been  arranged 
differently. 

On  the  road  from  Rejaf  to  Chor  A}ti,  the  pious  but 
drunken  orderly  ran  away;  he  probably  went  down 
to  join  the  rebels  at  Rejaf.  He  had  been  ordered  by 
Emin  to  proceed  to  Dufile  to  join  his  Company,  as  he 
would  no  longer  have  him  as  an  orderly.  He  pro- 
bably thought  that  on  arriving  at  Dufile  he  would  be 
severely  punished  by  Hawashi  Effendi,  so  he  made 
up  his  mind  to  desert  to  the  enemy.  There  was  an 
end  of  him  and  his  prayers  and  drunkenness.  None  of 
these  people,  who  appear  to  be  very  pious  Mahomedans, 
are  ever  of  much  use  ;  it  is  not  a  nice  thing  to  say,  but 
it  is  unfortunately  true. 

Late  on  the  evening  of  August  18th,  a  letter  came 
in  from  Hawashi  Effendi,  saying  that  rebellion  had 
broken  out  in  Dufile,  and  he  had  been  made  a  prisoner. 
Tliree  officers,  Fadl  el  Mulla  Aga,  Achmet  Aga 
Dinkaue,  and  Abdullah  Aga  el  Apt,  with  60  soldiers, 
had  that  day  arrived  from  Fabbo  station  and  had 
seized  the  government  store-houses  and  powder 
magazine.  They  then  addressed  the  soldiers  and  told 
them  that  they  were  fools  to  listen  to  what  the  Pasha, 


Mtitiny  of  the  2nd  Battalion. 


155 


Stanley,  and  I  had  told  them;  that  the  road  we  wished 
to  take  them  by  did  not  lead  to  Egypt,  the  only  road 
to  which  lay  through  Khartoum.  The  letters  we  had 
brought  with  us  were  forgeries,  they  were  convinced 
we  had  not  come  from  Eg^-pt,  and  had  positive 
proof  that  we  wished  only  to  take  the  people  out  of 
the  country  and  hand  them,  their  wives  and  children, 
over  as  slaves  to  the  English.  These  words  spread 
like  wildfire  amongst  the  ignorant  people,  and  the 
soldiers  readily  joined  the  mutineers.  All  the  officers 
in  Dufile  joined  them  also,  and  elected  Fadl  el  Mulla  as 
their  chief.    They  had  then  liberated  all  the  prisoners. 

This  was  terrible  news,  for  here  we  were 
caught  in  a  .trap  completely.  Rejaf,  with  the  re- 
bellious 1st  Battalion  behind  us,  and  Dufile  with  the 
new  rebellion  ahead,  while  to  the  east  and  west  of  us 
were  tribes  who  had  ever  been  bitter  enemies  of  the 
Egyptian  government.  Thei'e  was  no  loop-hole  for 
us  to  escape,  and  even  if  we  had  been  able  to  pass 
Dufile,  it  would  have  availed  us  nothing,  for  the 
whole  people  were  ripe  for  rebellion,  and  would  only 
have  captured  us  and  sent  us  back  ignominiously  to 
Dufile.  I  pitied  poor  Emin  intensely;  personally  he 
was  in  no  fear,  for  he  was  plucky  from  head  to  foot, 
but  the  thing  which  cut  him  to  the  heart  was  that  his 
people,  for  whom  he  had  done  everything,  and  given 
up  everything,  should  so  turn  against  him.  He  said 
how  deeply  sorry  he  was  that  he  had  been  the  means 
of  bringing  me  into  this  nest  of  unpleasant  possi- 
bilities. Of  course  I  could  only  assure  him  that  I  was 
glad  I  was  with  him  in  his  trouble. 

It  was  certainly  a  very  terrible  position  we  were  in, 
and  there  was  no  seeing  where  it  might  end. 


Emin  Pasha. 


Emin  sent  off  messengers  by  night  to  Lahore  to 
order  Selim  Aga  to  come  at  once  and  accompany  him 
to  Dufile,  as  he  was  a  man  of  some  influence  in  the 
Province,  and  had  ever  been  a  good  friend  to  Emin . 
For  the  poor  Pasha  there  was  no  sleep  that  night,  he 
could  only  walk  up  and  down,  brooding  over  his 
troubles.  Next  day  Selim  Bey  arrived,  but  there  was 
such  heavy  rain  falling  all  day  that  the  road  would 
have  been  impassable  for  us. 

Selim  Aga,  who  was  a  friend  of  Fadl  el  Mulla  Aga, 
the  chief  mutineer,  wrote  to  tell  him  not  to  do  any- 
thing rash,  for  the  Pasha  and  he  were  coming  the 
next  day  to  Dufile.  Another  letter  came  in  from 
Hawaslii  Effendi  saying  no  violent  act  had  yet  been 
done,  that  he  thought  the  people  were  afraid  their 
Grovernor  would  compel  them  to  leave  the  country, 
and  that  the  mischief  had  arisen  from  this  miscon- 
ception. He  added,  it  had  long  been  plain  to  him 
that,  with  the  exception  of  a  very  few  people,  no  one 
really  wished  to  leave  the  country  ;  they  were  much 
too  comfortable  where  they  were. 

I  had  felt  sure  for  a  long  time  that  though  Emin's 
people  had  most  of  them  answered  me  enthusiasti- 
cally, and  said  they  would  follow  their  Governor, 
that  in  their  heart  of  hearts  hardly  one  of  them 
wished  to  move.  No  representations  of  the  position 
they  would  be  in  if  they  refused  our  help  ever  had 
the  slightest  effect  on  them,  everything  "to-day" 
seemed  to  them  to  be  all  right,  and  they  appeared  to 
have  no  power  of  thinking  of  the  morrow. 

In  the  evening  some  soldiers  from  Dufile  passed, 
but  they  skirted  round  the  station  and  swam  across 
the  Ayu  higher  up.    Selim  Aga  went  after  them,  and 


We  start  for  DufilL 


157 


tried  to  speak  to  them,  but  they  ran  away.  Tliey 
were  evidently  taking  down  letters  from  the 
mutineers  in  Dufile  to  the  rebels  in  Rejaf ,  with  whom 
they  would  doubtless  now  make  common  cause. 

On  August  20th,  Ave  started  off  for  Dufile;  there 


of  them  behind. 
There  was  a  tremendous  lot  of  water  about,  and 
the  Nile  had  risen  more  than  four  feet  in  the  night 
from  the  rain  of  the  day  before.  One  could  see 
marks  of  devastation  all  round  where  the  water  had 
swept  down  from  the  mountains.  The  torrents  and 
water-courses  we  passed,  which  we  could  see  had  the 


Emin  Pasha. 


day  before  been  deep  rushing  floods,  were  to-day  only 
clear  trickling  streams,  so  rapidly  does  the  water 
pass  away  in  this  mountainous  region. 

The  distant  mountains,  which  ran  parallel  to  our 
road,  and  which  in  some  places  developed  into  solid 
precipices  of  rock,  with  a  sheer  drop  of  600  feet, 
were  all  glistening  in  the  bright  sunshine  from  the 
water  which  was  trickling  down  their  face  from  the 
table-lands  above.    All  nature  had  been  drenched. 

The  day  succeeding  a  long  day  or  night  of  cod- 
tinued  rain  is,  in  Central  Africa,  generally  extremely 
hot,  and  that  day  was  no  exception  to  the  rule. 
The  sun  rose  over  the  hills,  which  were  capped  with 
vapour,  while  all  the  valleys  and  low  lands  lay 
wrapped  in  an  impenetrable  veil  of  mist.  But  after 
a  couple  of  hours  the  mists  had  rolled  away,  the 
vapours  had  lifted,  and  the  sun  broke  out  with  a 
brilliance  and  fierceness  which  seemed  to  pierce  to 
the  brain.  Towards  the  middle  of  the  day  the  heat 
became  almost  insupportable  as  we  crossed  over  the 
bare  and  dreary  plain.  The  whole  face  of  the 
country  seemed  to  quiver  in  the  heat. 

I  was  struck,  even  more  than  I  had  been  on  our 
journey  down  a  month  before,  by  the  inexpressible 
loneliness  and  solitude  of  this  huge  rocky  waste  of 
uninhabited  country.  No  sort  of  cultivation  or  signs 
of  habitations  were  to  been  seen  for  miles,  nothing 
but  dreary  stretches  of  quartzy  plain,  broken  only  by 
huge  masses  of  rocks,  torn  and  upheaved  in  all  sorts 
of  curious  forms  and  shapes,  some  looking  in  the 
distance  almost  like  ruined  castles.  Over  the  whole 
plain  were  studded  dwarfish  shrubs  and  small 
mimosas.  To  the  west  the  phiin  was  bounded  by  a 
long    line    of    high,    rugged,  inhospitable-looking 


We  prepare  to  enter  DiifilL 


159 


mountains,  whilst  to  the  east,  as  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach,  the  barren  plain  stretched  away  into  the  distant 
Shuli  country.  The  sight  of  this  plain  recalled  very 
forcibly  to  my  mind  a  passage  which  I  had  read 
somewhere,  I  think  in  one  of  Scott's  books,  as  near  as 
I  can  remember  as  follows  : — 

"  It  is  a  remarkable  effect  of  such  extensive  wastes, 
that  they  impose  an  idea  of  solitude  even  upon  those 
who  travel  through  them  in  considerable  numbers, 
so  much  is  the  imagination  affected  by  the  dispro- 
portion between  the  desert  around  and  the  party  who 
are  traversing  it.  Thus  the  members  of  a  caravan 
of  a  thousand  souls  may  feel,  in  the  deserts  of 
Africa  or  Arabia,  a  sense  of  loneliness  unknown 
to  the  individual  traveller,  whose  solitary  course 
is  through  a  thriving  and  cultivated  country." 

On  reaching  the  brow  of  the  hill,  from  which  we 
c^ould  see  Dufile  lying  below  us,  about  two  miles 
distant,  we  halted  to  allow  the  rear  of  our  caravan 
to  come  up. 

There  were  Emin  and  myself.  Vita  Hassan,  the 
apothecary,  Rajab  and  Arif  Effendis,  who  were 
Emin's  clerks,  KismuUah,  Emin's  collector  and 
preparer  of  birds,  our  servants  and  orderlies,  and 
some  twenty  Madi  carriers.  We  stood  gazing  on 
the  station,  wondering  what  our  reception  would 
be  like,  whether  we  should  be  able  to  make  any  im- 
pression on  the  mutineers  and  get  them  to  abandon 
their  plot,  or  whether  we  should  now  take  a  long  fare- 
well to  liberty  and  freedom.  AVe  changed  our  hats 
and  made  ourselves  tidy,  drew  the  column  together  in 
an  orderly  line,  and  shaking  out  all  our  bravery,  in  the 
way  of  flags  and  pendants,  we  set  our  teeth  and 
prepared  to  descend  into  the  station. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


OUR  IMPRfSONMENT  AT  DUFILE. 

VVe  approacli  Dufile — Attitude  of  the  people — Entry  into  the  station 
—  Surrounded  by  sentries — Insults  of  the  soldiers — Greeting  of 
the  Circassian  tinker — We  are  imprisoned — The  contrast  to  our 
entry  a  month  before — Selun  A,'a  consults  the  mutineers — Fadl 
el  ^lulla's  reason  for  rebelling — The  Mutineers  of  Rejaf  are  sent 
for — Our  life  in  prison — Our  servants  insulted — Hawashi 
Ktfendi's  position — The  rebels  form  a  plan  to  entrap  Stanley — 
News  from  M'Swa — Stanley's  supposed  arrival  at  Kavalli's — 
Arrival  of  rebels  from  Rejaf — My  orderlies  are  examined — 
I  go  before  the  rebel  council — Questioned  by  the  rebels — 
Letters  read  before  the  council — "  You  and  your  master  are 
impostors  !  " — ]\Iy  tirade  against  the  rebels — "  Chivalry  in  a 
negro  " — Fadl  el  Mulla  asserts  himself — Emin  signs  the  papers — 
Steamer  to  be  sent  to  M'Swa — I  prepare  to  start  in  steamer — 
Start  from  Dufile  -Unpleasant  experiences  on  board — Arrival  at 
"Wadelai — Little  Farida — Five  children  at  a  birth — consultation 
with  the  Wadelai  soldiers — General  discontent  in  Wadelai — 
Atmnspliere  of  treachery. 

As  we  marched  down  the  hill  we  could  see  that 
there  were  great  numbers  of  people  about,  all  dressed 
in  white,  for  it  was  now  the  feast  of  Id  el  Kebir. 
Large  groups  of  people  had  congregated  outside  the 
station,  all  talking  earnestly  together.  Amongst 
these  we  could  see  figures  moving  quickly  about,  and 
by  their  excited  gestures  it  was  evident  they  were 
exhorting  the  people  to  something,  we  knew  not 
what.  On  nearing  the  station  these  groups  broke 
up,  and  lined  the  path  along  which  we  were  to  pass. 
We  could   see   dense  masses   of   expectant  faces 


Entry  into  Dujili. 


i6i 


appearing  above  the  ramparts  of  the  station,  within 
which  a  great  noise  and  confusion  seemed  going  on. 
As  we  approached  there  was  a  deep  silence,  everyone 
seemed  holding  his  breath  to  see  what  would  happen. 
We  rode  through  the  lines  of  silent  people,  and 
entered  the  station.  No  salutes  had  been  fired,  nor 
were  the  soldiers  drawn  up  in  line  to  salute  their 
Governor.  Emin  at  a  glance  could  see  that  it  would 
have  been  of  no  use  to  speak  to  the  people  then,  for 
it  was  evident  that  a  good  deal  of  drinking  had  been 
going  on,  and  everyone  was  excited.  As  we  passed 
through  the  postern  gate,  an  order  was  given  by  an 
Egyptian  officer,  and  sentries  took  their  places  in 
front  of  and  behind  us,  thus  cutting  us  off  from  our 
people.  As  the  sentries  took  their  places,  a  rush 
was  made  at  Kismullah,  the  Pasha's  collector,  and  his 
gun  was  torn  from  his  hands,  and  he  and  some  others 
were  hurried  off  to  prison.  At  this  signal  a  perfect 
din  of  voices  arose,  the  station  seemed  alive  with 
people,  and  every  one,  men,  women,  and  children, 
pressed  forward  to  witness  their  Governor's  humi- 
liation. The  clerks,  however,  and  officers  kept  in 
the  background,  as  if  ashamed  to  meet  their  Mudir's 
eye.  A  number  of  soldiers  had  collected  in  the 
square  in  front  of  the  prison  ;  they  were  all  more  or 
less  excited  by  drink,  and  commenced  singing  and 
shouting  out  insulting  words  about  us.  These  were, 
I  think,  the  mutineers  from  Fabbo. 

Meanwhile,  we  were  conducted  through  the  station, 
followed  by  the  shouting  rabble,  every  road  and 
path  being  choked  by  the  masses  of  people  of  all 
sorts,  who  eagerly  pushed  forward  to  see  us  as  we 
passed,  and  to  point  at  us  in  scorn  and  derision. 


l62 


Emin  Pasha. 


In  the  square,  in  front  of  our  compound,  an 
immense  concourse  of  people  had  gathered  to  see  our 
final  imprisonment,  and  to  show  their  contempt  for 
us  by  their  insulting  gestures.  The  only  man  who 
greeted  us  that  day  was  a  little  Circassian  tinker. 
Undismayed  by  the  frowns  and  threatening  looks  of 
the  crowd,  he  started  forward  and  seized  the  Pasha's 
and  my  hands.  He  could  not  speak  for  Aveeping,  but 
could  only  raise  our  hands  to  his  lips,  and  look  at  us 
in  speechless  misery.  "We  were  then  conducted  into 
our  compound,  which  was  surrounded  by  a  high 
thick  boma  or  fence,  and  eight  sentries  were  posted 
at  the  entrance,  with  strict  orders  to  allow  no  one  to 
have  ingress  or  egress.  Thus  began  our  imprison- 
ment. 

What  a  contrast  was  our  entry  into  the  station 
that  day,  to  our  entry  little  more  than  a  month 
before  !  Then,  the  soldiers  had  been  drawn  up  to 
greet  their  Governor,  and  pay  him  all  the  honour  due 
to  his  position,  while  I  had  been  received  with 
acclamations  as  an  honoured  guest,  the  represen- 
tative of  Stanley,  the  great  traveller  whom  the 
Khedive  had  sent  to  help  them.  Then,  words  of 
cordial  greeting  fell  from  their  lips,  and  smiles  of 
welcome  were  on  their  faces  ;  now,  every  face 
expressed  scorn  and  derision,  and  their  mouths  only 
opened  to  shout  insulting  words.  The  Egyptian 
incendiaries  had  indeed  done  their  work  thoroughly, 
and  every  one  was  against  us  ! 

The  jeers  and  shouts  of  derision  as  we  entered  our 
compound  made  my  blood  boil.  The  whole  square  in 
front  of  our  compound  seemed  full  of  half -drunken 
soldiers,  and  the  shouting  and  laughing  all  round 


IV e  arc  iDiprisoned. 


made  us  realize  what  were  the  kind  of  people  into 
whose  hands  we  had  fallen. 

My  servants  and  orderlies  came  to  me  to  complain 
that  in  getting  in  our  baggage,  they  had  been 
insulted,  jostled,  and  spit  upon  by  the  people  in  the 
square  outside.  I  could  only  tell  them  that  they 
must  bear  it  as  well  as  they  were  able,  and  try  to 
avoid  giving  any  offence  to  the  soldiers. 

Neither  Fadl  el  Mulla  nor  Achmet  Aga  Dinkaue, 
the  two  chief  mutineers,  had  appeared  when  we 
arrived.  We  heard  they  had  taken  up  their  abode 
in  the  compound  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  square 
which  had  been  built  to  receive  Stanley  and  his 
people. 

Our  sentries  were  some  of  the  sixty  soldiers  they 
had  brought  with  them  from  Fabbo,  and  were  com- 
pletely under  their  influence. 

Emin  had  brought  Selim  Aga  from  Dufile  with  him 
to  act  as  a  sort  of  messenger  between  him  and  the 
rebels  if  necessary,  and  he  had  asked  him  to  go  and 
consult  with  Fadl  el  Mulla,  and  gather  what  in- 
formation he  could  concerning  the  rebellion. 

In  the  evening,  Selim  Aga  came  in  to  see  us, 
having  been  with  Fadl  el  Mulla  and  the  chief 
mutineers  for  a  couple  of  hours.  He  told  us  that  the 
prime  mover  in  the  rebellion  had  been  Achmet 
Effendi,  the  clerk  who  had  gone  and  complained  to 
Stanley  about  Emin,  and  who  had  afterwards  been 
imprisoned  at  Dufile  for  spreading  sedition  in  Tun- 
guru.  It  appeared  he  had  written  to  Fadl  el  Mulla, 
the  chief  of  Fabbo,  circulating  lies  about  the  Expedi- 
tion, and  when  he  heard  that  the  ammunition  had 
been  moved  from  Muggi,  and  the  commencement  of 

M  2 


164 


Emin  Pasha. 


the  evacuation  of  that  station  begun,  he  had  at  once 
written  to  Fadl  el  Mulla,  and  asked  him  to  act. 

Fadl  el  Mulla  told  Selim  Aga  that  one  of  the  chief 
reasons  for  the  rebellion  was  that  for  a  long  time  a 
strong  feeling  against  Hawashi  Effendi,  the  senior 
officer  of  Emin's  forces,  had  been  growing  among  the 
soldiers  and  officers.  Many  complaints  had  been  made 
to  Emin  about  his  grasping  and  overbearing  conduct, 
but  had  always  been  disregarded,  and  Hawashi 
Effendi  had  continued  to  be  the  chief  of  the  soldiers. 

Another  reason  was  that  they  thought  that  there 
would  be  an  attempt  on  the  part  of  their  Governor 
and  Stanley  to  compel  them  to  leave  the  country. 
They  would  not  be  able  to  carry  their  women  and 
children  and  goods  Avith  them  ;  moreover,  they  knew 
nothing  of  a  road  to  Egypt  via  Zanzibar,  and  did  not 
really  believe  that  Khartoum  had  fallen.  A  variety 
of  minor  accusations  were  brought  against  their 
Governor.  Everything,  in  short,  might  be  summed 
up  in  an  accusation  of  treachery  on  his  part  to  the 
Khedive  and  his  people,  and  injustice  to  his  officers. 
All  expressed  a  strong  feeling  of  dislike  against 
Signor  Vita,  the  apothecary,  who,  they  said,  acted 
as  a  spy  for  the  Governor  and  made  a  great  deal  of 
mischief  in  the  Province. 

As  for  me,  they  said  they  had  personally  nothing 
against  me,  except  that  T  was  an  envoy  of  Stanley, 
and  was  helping  the  Pasha  and  him  to  carry  out 
their  plans  of  forcing  the  people  to  leave  the 
Province,  but  they  supposed  I  was  only  obeying 
orders.  I  was  free  to  go  about  the  station,  but  I 
should  be  followed  by  sentries  who  would  report  to 
them  all  that  I  did. 


Selim  Aga  s  Report. 


165 


The  mutineers  had  sent  for  the  rebel  officers  of  the 
1st  Battalion  to  join  them,  and  also  for  officers  from 
the  stations  of  Bidden,  Kirri,  Muggi,  and  Lahore. 
"When  these  officers  arrived  a  council  was  to  be  held, 
when  it  would  be  decided  what  steps  should  be  taken 
with  regard  to  the  Governor  and  Hawashi  Effendi 
for  the  future  safety  of  the  Pro^^nce.  Lists  of  accu- 
sations against  Emin  and  certain  officers  would  be 
made  out,  and  they  would  be  brought  up  for  trial 
before  the  Council,  which  was  to  be  composed  of 
representatives  from  every  station  in  the  Province, 
Selim  Aga  told  me  afterwards  that  Fadl  el  Mulla 
was  much  less  bad  than  many  of  the  rebels,  but  that 
he  was  under  the  influence  of  Achmet  Aga  Dinkaue, 
his  second  in  command,  who  was  one  of  those  violent 
fanatics  who  stick  at  nothing,  and  the  two  were 
entirely  in  the  hands  of  some  scoundrelly  clerks  and 
^e^T^^^^  officers.  From  what  Selim  Aga  said,  the 
feeling  was  strongly  against  the  Governor,  for  what 
reason  I  could  not  wholly  understand,  unless  it  was 
that  he  had  been  a  great  deal  too  easy  with  his 
people.  Selim  Aga  further  told  me  that  the  rebel 
officers  had  been  very  reticent  and  not  particularly 
friendly  with  him.  He  gave  us  more  information 
about  Surore  Aga  at  Lahore,  and  of  the  part  he,  in 
conjunction  with  his  great  friend,  Achmet  Aga 
Dinkaue,  had  taken  in  the  getting  up  of  the 
rebellion. 

We  had,  it  appeared,  nothing  then  to  do  but  to 
wait,  with  what  patience  we  might,  the  coming  of  the 
rebel  officers  from  Regaf,  for  nothing  would  be 
settled  till  they  were  all  assembled.  ATe  naturally 
waited  impatiently  for  their  coming,  for  anything 


Emin  Pasha. 


was  better  than  the  terrible  state  of  suspense  and 
uncertainty  as  to  our  fate. 

Meantime,  our  life,  shut  up  in  that  small  compound, 
in  the  middle  of  a  noisy  station,  was  anything  but 
pleasant.  People  congregated  in  the  square  and 
discussed  the  turn  affairs  had  taken  in  a  sufficiently 
loud  manner  for  us  to  hear  what  was  said.  The 
compound  was  surrounded  by  roads,  and  people 
passing  constantly,  took  the  opportunity  of  shouting 
out  unpleasant  things  for  our  edification.  On  one 
side  was  the  school,  where  the  priest  taught  the 
children  of  the  station,  and  the  noise  they  made  all 
day  long  was  unceasing.  On  another  side  was  the 
compound  of  an  Eg}^tian  officer,  who  had  a  great 
number  of  wives  and  slaves  whom  he  used  constantly 
to  be  beating,  and  the  cries  and  shrieks  from  these 
unfortunate  women  were  heart-rending. 

Selim  Aga,  after  the  first  day  of  our  imprisonment, 
had  been  refused  admittance  into  our  compound  by 
the  order  of  the  rebel  officers  ;  we  had  therefore  to 
depend  on  our  servants  to  bring  us  what  information 
they  could  gather  in  the  station. 

Hawashi  Effendi  was  also  a  prisoner,  but  our  boys 
would  occasionally  be  able  to  smuggle  in  a  note  from 
him,  or  the  few  well-affected  people  in  the  station, 
under  vegetables  or  corn,  which  they  had  been  out 
to  buy  for  us.  Our  boys  and  orderlies  complained 
bitterly  of  the  taunts  and  insults  they  had  to  put  up 
with  from  the  soldiers,  who  told  them  that  their 
masters  would  never  be  allowed  to  leave  the  country, 
and  a  variety  of  other  impertinences. 

Fadl  el  Mulla  had  ordered  that  soldiers  from  his 
own  Fabbo  Company  should  always  be  placed  as 


Plot  to  capture  Stanley. 


I 

167 


sentries  over  us ;  these  were  more  mutinous  and 
insulting  than  the  Dufile  soldiers,  and  were  more 
under  his  control.  Fabbo  soldiers  Avere  also  placed 
as  sentries  on  the  store-houses  and  powder  magazines. 

Certain  portions  of  the  machinery  of  the'  engines 
in  the  steamers  had  been  taken  away,  and  were  kept 
under  Fadl  el  Mulla's  charge,  for  the  sailors 
were  not  very  friendly  to  the  rebels,  and  it  was  feared 
that  they  might  conspire  to  help  us  to  escape. 

Indirectly  we  heard  various  rumours  of  the  inten- 
tion of  the  rebel  officers  towards  us,  and  the  soldiers 
from  time  to  time  let  drop  certain  words  from  which 
we  could  understand  that  our  fate  was  not  likely  to 
be  a  pleasant  one.  Hawashi  Effendi  had  been  very 
ill  when  he  was  made  a  prisoner,  and  though  he  had 
slightly  recovered,  we  almost  expected  his  imprison- 
ment and  troubles  would  prove  too  much  for  him.  ATe 
were  told  a  plot  was  to  be  discussed,  on  the  coming  of 
the  rest  of  the  rebel  officers,  against  Stanley  and 
the  Expedition,  on  their  return  to  the  lake. 

The  plan  was  to  go  down  with  the  steamers  full  of 
soldiers  when  they  heard  of  his  arrival  at  the  lake, 
to  fall  upon  the  camp,  sieze  {he  guns,  ammilnition, 
and  all  that  he  had,  and  then  to  turn  them  adrift.  I 
doubted  if  they  would  be  able  to  carry  out  this  plan 
as  easily  as  they  imagined,  for  I  had  boundless 
faith  in  Stanley's  caution  and  wisdom,  still,  it  made 
me  very  anxious,  and  I  at  once  wrote  a  letter  of 
warning  to  him,  intending  to  send  it  on  the  first 
opportunity  by  some  faithful  messenger  to  Shukri 
Aga,  chief  of  M'swa,  of  whose  loyalty  I  felt  convinced. 

Meanwhile,  day  by  day,  there  was  an  increase  in  the 
hundi-ed  and  one  petty  annoyances  and  humiliations 


Emin  Pasha, 


to  which  we  were  subjected.  We  heard  that  the 
rebel  officers  of  the  1st  Battalion,  together  with  the 
chief  priest  of  the  country,  were  on  their  way  up  from 
Rejaf ,  and  might  be  expected  at  Dufile  in  a  few  days. 

On  the  evening  of  August  26th,  we  heard,  through 
my  boy,  that  letters  had  come  in  from  Tunguru  and 
M'swa  which  were  supposed  to  be  of  great  importance, 
for  Fadl  el  Mulla,  on  reading  them,  appeared  to  be 
exceedingly  excited,  and  had  at  once  called  a  meeting 
of  officers,  and  had  read  the  letters  to  them. 

The  meeting  had  been  held  in  the  rebels'  divan, 
with  closed  doors,  and  great  secrecy  had  been  kept 
concerning  the  contents  of  the  letters ;  we  could  not 
therefore  hear  what  the  news  actually  was. 

Emin  was  greatly  troubled  by  what  we  had  heard, 
and  we  sat  up  late  that  night  talking  over  it,  and 
making  all  sorts  of  conjectures  as  to  what  the  letters 
contained. 

My  boy  Binza  told  me  that  one  letter  was  from 
Suliman  Aga,  at  Tunguru,  requesting  the  Mudir  to 
come  up  as  quickly  as  possible.  The  stir  it  made 
amongst  the  rebels  went  to  show  that  something  of 
importance  was  afloat. 

We  thought  it  might  be  that  Kaba-regga's  people 
had  attacked  one  of  the  stations,  or  that  the  Nyanza 
steamer  which  was  to  have  attacked  one  of  the 
Unyoro  Lake  villages  might  have  been  disabled,  or 
that  mutiny  had  also  broken  out  in  one  of  the  lake 
stations.  This  last  would  have  been  a  great  blow  to 
us  as  the  mutiny  had  not  extended  south  of  Dufile, 
and  such  a  thing  would  cut  us  off  entirely  from 
Stanley.  The  last  and  least  probable  conjecture  was 
that  Stanley  had  arrived.    We  did  not  expect  him 


Reported  A r rival  of  Stanley.  1 69 


for  another  four  or  five  months,  but  it  might  have 
been  just  possible  that  he  had  met  Barttelot  much 
sooner  than  he  had  expected,  and  had  so  arrived 
considerably  before  his  time.  But  after  discussing 
this  last  conjecture,  we  dismissed  it  as  too  improbable,, 
and  retired  to  our  beds  late,  having  come  to  no  con- 
clusion. 

Early  next  morning  I  was  awakened  by  Emin 
coming  into  my  hut.  The  instant  I  saw  him  I  knew 
he  had  news  of  importance,  for  he  only  had  on  his 
pyjamas,  and  that  was  a  costume  he  never  would 
have  appeared  in  unless  something  unusual  had  sur- 
prised him. 

The  news  was  that  Stanley  had  arrived  at  the 
lake  !  Oh,  glorious  and  welcome  news  coming  at 
such  a  time  !  I  sprang  out  of  bed  with  an  incredu- 
lous, "  No  !  Impossible  !  "  Such  news  was  most 
wonderful  and  unlooked  for. 

Selim  Aga  had  that  morning  early  smuggled  in  a 
note,  saying  that  there  were  two  letters,  one  from 
Kodi  Aga  at  Wadelai,  and  one  from  Shukri  Aga  at 
M'swa.  Kodi  Aga's  letter  said  that  Stanley  and 
great  numbers  of  men  and  loads  had  arrived  at  the 
lake,  and  that  he  had  brought  with  him  three  elephants 
and  a  large  boat.  The  elephants  and  boat  must,  I 
thought,  be  mere  native  exaggerations,  probably  it 
was  said  he  had  three  animals  with  him  (donkeys 
perhaps),  and  these  excitable  people  had  at  once 
concluded  they  must  be  elephants.  Suliman  Aga  had 
gone  down,  we  were  told,  in  the  small  steamer  to  see 
Stanley. 

Shukri  Aga's  letter  was  to  the  Pasha;  the 
mutineers  had  kept  it,  though  we  were  told  they  had 


I70 


Emin  Pasha. 


not  opened  it,  but  were  waiting  for  the  arrival  of  the 
officers  from  Rejaf  before  doing  so.  Selim  Aga 
told  us  that  on  the  outside  of  Shukri  Aga's  letter 
was  written,  "  Very  important  news.  Great  matter 
for  rejoicing." 

We  could  only  wait  with  the  utmost  impatience  to 
see  what  would  happen. 

Emin  said  he  thought  it  would  be  a  good  thing 
when  tho  Rejaf  officers  arrived  for  me  to  go  to  them 
and  try  to  get  them  to  allow  him  and  me  to  go  down 
to  see  Stanley.  If  they  did  not  allow  that,  I  must 
try  to  persuade  them  to  allow  me  to  go  down  alone, 
for  neither  Suliman  Aga  or  Shukri  Aga  knew  what 
had  happened  at  Dufile,  and  Stanley  would  be  acting 
quite  in  the  dark.  I  felt  I  must  warn  Stanley  some- 
how; even  a  short  note  would  do,  but  if  I  could  get 
speech  with  him,  things  would  be  so  much  easier. 

However,  Emin  and  I  wrote  a  letter  to  Stanley, 
telling  him  of  our  position,  and  full  particulars  of  the 
country,  people,  route,  &c,,  with  suggestions  as  to 
plans,  should  he  think  it  possible  to  try  and  rescue 
us.  I  informed  him  also  of  the  plot  which  we  heard 
had  been  made  to  entrap  him,  and  warned  him  most 
earnestly  not  to  trust  any  one  except  Shukri  Aga. 

This  letter  I  intended  to  confide  to  the  care  of  the 
pilot  of  the  steamer  Khedive,  in  whom  I  trusted,  to 
hand  it  over  to  Shukri  Agar,  who  would  in  turn 
forward  it  by  friendly  natives  to  Stanley.  This,  of 
course,  I  only  proposed  doing,  should  the  rebels  refuse 
to  allow  me  to  join  my  leader.  I  felt  hopeful  of  being 
able  to  induce  them  to  accede  to  my  request,  but  poor 
Emin  was  sometimes  dreadfully  desponding,  and  at 
such  times  I  did  my  best  to  rouse  him  to  a  more  cheer- 


A  black  Look-out. 


ful  frame  of  mind.  I  think  he  was  glad  to  have  me 
with  him,  but  to  people  who  have  never  been  prisoners 
before,  this  imprisonment  in  a  small  closed -in  yard 
was  very  depressing,  and  even  I  began  to  feel  it 
terribly,  though  we  had  only  been  prisoners  twelve 
days.  The  outlook  was  certainly  black  enough  to 
depress  any  one.  It  was  a  terrible  thought,  that 
Stanley  and  my  comrades  might  be  walking  into  the 
same  trap  as  that  into  which  I  had  fallen,  and  I  a 
prisoner,  unable  to  hold  out  a  hand  to  help,  or  even 
to  warn  them.  The  idea  haunted  me  night  and  day, 
and  with  strained  nerves  I  awaited  my  interview 
with  the  rebel  officers. 

Poor  Emin !  he  was  utterly  beaten  down  by  the 
weiijht  of  his  troubles,  his  bitterest  thousfht  was  that 
after  all  these  years  of  self-sacrifice  on  his  part  to  his 
people,  they  should  so  turn  against  him,  and  that  his 
control  over  them  should  be  so  slig^ht.  All  Emin's 
immediate  people,  his  secretaries,  clerks,  aides,  and 
followers  had  been  put  in  prison,  and  we  were  alone, 
utterly  alone,  with  absolutely  no  one  in  whom  we 
could  place  the  slightest  confidence.  His  was  one  of 
those  brooding,  susceptible  natures,  and  his  thoughts 
at  that  time  must  have  been  torture. 

At  mid-day  on  August  31st,  the  people  from  Rejaf 
came  in.  They  marched  into  the  station  in  triumph, 
with  flags  flying  and  trumpets  playing,  the  soldiers 
being  all  drawn  up  in  line  to  salute  them.  As  if  to 
mock  us,  the  procession  marched  through  the  station, 
and  halted  opposite  our  compound,  amid  the  accla- 
mations of  the  assembled  people.  After  some 
speeches  had  been  made,  the  soldiers  were  dismissed 
to  their  quarters,  the  officers  finding  huts  in  the  com- 


172 


Emin  Pasha. 


pound  occupied  by  Fadl  el  Mulla  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  square.  The  arrival  of  these  rebel  officers 
was  a  great  contrast  to  our  lowly  entry. 

The  officers  from  Rejaf  were  Ali  Aga  Djabor, 
Hamad  Aga,  Farratch  Aga  Ajok,  Ali  Aga  Shamruk, 
Dowel  Beyt  Aga,  two  clerks,  and  Sheik  Moorajan,  the 
chief  priest  of  the  Province.  From  Muggi,  Bachit 
Aga  Ramadan  and  two  others,  from  Lahore,  Surore 
Aga,  and  from  each  of  the  other  northern  stations 
there  were  officers  whose  names  I  did  not  know. 
They  brought  with  them  sixty  soldiers,  drawn  from 
the  different  stations,  and  hosts  of  servants  and 
slaves. 

The  officers  shut  themselves  up  in  their  compound, 
and  we  could  hear  them  across  the  square  in  excited 
consultation.  Bugle  calls  sounded,  orders  were 
given,  and  there  seemed  to  be  a  general  stir  and 
bustle  in  the  station.  The  soldiers  had  gathered 
under  the  trees  in  the  square,  and  were  laughing  and 
talking  together  loudly,  evidently  comparing  notes 
with  the  rebel  soldiers  of  Rejaf,  whom  they  had  not 
seen  for  some  time. 

In  the  evening  great  jars  of  native  beer  and 
millet  whiskey,  which  had  been  prepared  by  Fadl 
el  Mulla 's  orders,  were  carried  in  to  the  rebel  officers, 
who,  judging  from  the  laughing  and  shouting  and 
([uarrelling  we  heard,  were  indulging  in  a  tremendous 
(jarousal. 

We  heard  in  the  evening  that  a  council  would  be 
held  the  next  day,  and  that  I  was  to  be  examined 
before  all  the  rebel  officers  in  the  divan,  and  every- 
thing about  the  Expedition  was  to  be  closely  enquired 
into.    It  was  also  said  that  Hawashi  Effendi  would 


My  Orderlies  a7'e  examined. 


173 


be  brought  up  for  trial  and  witnesses  would  be  called 
face  to  face  with  him,  to  prove  the  accusations 
brought  against  him. 

I  was  afraid  it  would  go  hard  with  Hawashi 
Effendi,  for  every  one  with  whom  he  had  come  in 
contact  seemed  to  have  something  against  him,  I 
hoped  the  rebels  would  only  strip  him,  and  not  hang 
him  as  we  had  heard  was  their  intention,  for  he  had 
been  faithful  to  his  Government,  and  had  worked 
well  for  it ;  it  was  chiefly  his  private  character  whicn 
was  so  bad. 

The  next  morning  Bachit,  one  of  my  Soudanese 
orderlies,  came  in  to  tell  me  that  the  rebel  officers 
Avere  sitting  in  council,  and  had  sent  over  to  him, 
Abdullah  and  Moorajan,  my  other  two  orderlies, 
ordering  them  to  appear  before  the  divan.  I  at  once 
ordered  them  to  go,  but  to  be  careful  what  they  said, 
and  I  told  them  to  answer  all  questions  put  to  them 
perfectly  truthfully,  so  that  there  might  be  no  con- 
flicting evidence  in  their  story.  In  half  an  hour  they 
returned,  and  came  to  me  to  make  their  report  First 
of  all  they  had  been  asked  who  Stanley  was,  and 
whether  he  had  come  from  Egypt.  They  answered 
they  were  soldiers  of  Effendina,  who  had  sent  sixty- 
four  of  them  with  Stanley  to  bring  relief  to  the 
Mudir  and  his  people.  "  Then  where  are  your  uni- 
forms, where  are  your  accoutrements  ?  "  asked  the 
rebels.  My  orderlies  said  their  uniforms  had  been 
worn  out  long  since  in  the  forest  where  they  had  been 
struggling  to  carry  out  Effendina' s  orders  to  bring 
help  and  ammunition  to  those  very  officers  who  were 
now  questioning  them  so  roughly.  The  rebels  an- 
swered, "  You  are  liars,  and  were  only  picked  up  by 


174 


Emin  Pasha. 


Mr.  Stanley,  who  is  himself  merely  an  adventurer ; 
you  are  no  real  soldiers,  and  we  will  put  you  in  chains 
unless  you  admit  the  truth."  Upon  this  Abdullah,  a 
smart  young  fellow,  stepped  forAvard,  and  holding  up 
his  Remington  rifle,  pointed  to  the  Egyptian  brand, 
the  crescent  and  star,  with  which  the  barrel  was 
marked,  exclaiming,  "  This  is  Effendina's  mark,  let 
any  officer  who  chooses  put  me  through  my  drill,  and 
I  will  show  him  whether  I  am  a  soldier  or  not."  He 
was  accordingly  put  through  his  drill,  and  I  was  told 
he  acquitted  himself  admirably.  The  rebel  officers 
having  asked  my  orderlies  a  good  many  other  ques- 
tions concerning  Stanley,  the  Expedition,  and  myself, 
dismissed  them. 

After  a  short  interval  they  sent  for  my  boy  Binza, 
and  told  him  to  tell  me  they  wished  to  see  me.  I 
immediately  sent  him  back  to  tell  them  I  was  per- 
fectly willing  to  come  and  see  them,  but  that  I  was 
not  accustomed  to  receive  messages  through  my 
servant,  if  they  chose  to  send  an  officer  over  to 
request  my  attendance,  I  should  be  ready  to  accom- 
pany him  to  the  council.  Ali  Aga  Shamruk,  an 
Egyptian  officer,  at  once  came  over  and  politely  asked 
me  to  accompany  him. 

At  this  time  the  greatest  excitement  prevailed  in 
the  station  to  hear  the  result  of  the  first  sitting  of  the. 
Council,  and  great  numbers  of  people  were  assembled 
to  see  the  witnesses  as  they  were  conducted  by 
sentries  across  the  square  to  the  rebels'  divan.  It 
was  the  first  time  since  my  imprisonment  that  I  had 
left  our  compound,  and  the  people  looked  at  me 
curiously  as  I  crossed  the  square,  but  were  in  no  way 
rude  or  insulting.    I  had  a  nervous  feeling  that  a 


Before  the  Rebel  CotmciL 


great  deal  depended  on  this  interview,  and  on  what 
concessions  I  could  get  the  rebel  officers  to  make.  I 
took  my  servant  Binza  with  me  to  act  as  interpreter. 

On  entering  the  divan  the  rebel  officers,  of  whom 
there  were  some  thirty,  rose  and  greeted  me  quite 
respectfully.  Fadl  el  Mulla  and  All  Aga  Djabor, 
whom  I  now  saw  for  the  first  time,  came  forward,  and 
after  telling  me  they  had  been  elected  heads  of  the 
Council,  introduced  me  to  the  different  officers,  many 
of  whom  I  did  not  know.  I  then  told  them,  as  they 
wished  to  see  me,  I  was  here  to  listen  to  what  they 
had  to  say  and  answer  what  questions  they  wished  to 
ask  me.  They  bowed,  and  a  long  silence  ensued, 
during  which  I  had  time  to  glance  round  and  take 
in  the  faces  of  the  different  officers  assembled. 

A  broad,  raised,  brick  seat  ran  entirely  round  the 
divan,  on  which  were  spread  a  number  of  clean  mats. 
Here  were  seated  the  officers,  nearly  all  of  whom 
were  Soudanese.  They  were  a  sullen,  heavy,  bestial- 
looking  lot,  with  stupid  phlegmatic  faces.  Here  and 
there  was  a  fawning,  treacherous  Egyptian.  1  could 
see  my  friend,  Surore  Aga,  of  Lahore  fame,  seated 
behind  me  near  the  door,  and  as  my  glance  included 
him  his  shifty  eyes  dropped  and  he  looked  away. 
Neither  Hamad  Aga  nor  Selim  Aga  were  there. 
Seated  cross-legged  on  a  long  mat  stretched  on  the 
ground  were  four  clerks,  with  writing  materials  in 
their  hands,  ready  to  take  down  my  evidence ;  these 
were  Egyptians  and  Copts.  The  three  men  whose 
appearance  struck  me  most  were  the  two  chiefs  of  the 
council  and  the  chief  priest,  Sheik  Moorajan. 

Fadl  el  Mulla,  the  promoter  of  the  rebellion,  was  a 
tall  enormously  fat  Soudanese  of  a  jet  black  colour ; 


1 


176  Emin  Pasha. 

he  had  a  rather  intelligent,  and  by  no  means  un- 
pleasant face,  in  fact  for  a  Soudanese  he  was  rather 
good-looking.  Ali  Aga  Djabor  was  a  Soudanese  of 
the  same  build  and  type,  and  looked  his  character 
thoroughly — a  bully,  robber,  and  drunkard. 

Sheik  Moor  a  j  an,  with  his  long  white  robe,  big 
turban  and  snowy  beard,  was  the  most  striking  figure 
of  all.  He  was  a  native  of  Dongola  and  had  a  Jewish- 
Arab  face.  "Whenever  I  looked  up  I  found  his  small 
crafty  eyes  fixed  upon  me,  eyes  which  were  instantly 
averted  when  they  met  my  glance. 

After  the  silence,  Fadl  el  Mull  a  began  to  speak  in 
the  name  of  the  other  officers.^  He  questioned  me 
closely  about  the  Expedition,  its  origin  and  aims.  I 
told  him  how  it  was  got  up  on  account  of  the  interest 
excited  by  the  Mudir's  letters  to  Europe,  and  how  the 
Khedive  had  taken  part  in  it  and  had  given  Stanley 
his  final  instructions  before  leavinof  for  Zanzibar.  I 
told  him  the  Mudir's  letters  had  only  spoken  in  the 
highest  praise  of  the  people,  and  that  he  had  written 
solely  for  their  good, — he  had  asked  nothing  for 
himself.  I  then  related  the  story  of  our  wanderings 
and  of  our  final  meeting  with  Emin  as  simply  as  I 
could.  Fadl  el  Mulla  asked  if  Eifendina  had  really 
sent  the  Expedition,  why  he  had  not  sent  some  one  in 
his  employ,  some  soldier,  or  pasha  in  command,  and 
why,  if  we  came  from  Egypt,  we  had  not  brought 
letters  from  their  friends  and  relations  there.  I 
answered  that  Stanley  knew  Africa  better  than  any 
living  man,  and  was  considered  more  capable  than 
anyone  else  to  command  the  Expedition  ;  as  to  our 
not  having  brought  letters  from  their  friends,  I 
admitted  that  was  an  oversight. 


Questioned  by  the  Rebel  Council.  1 77 

The  rebels  here  paused  and  spoke  to  each  other  in 
an  undertone,  ghmcing  at  me  from  time  to  time  as  if 
I  was  the  subject  of  their  conversation. 

Fadl  el  MuUa  then  began  to  question  me  about  the 
road,  and  what  possibility  there  would  be  of  getting 
their  children  and  goods  carried  in  the  event  of  their 
leaving  the  country.  He  also  asked  me  what  road 
we  proposed  going  by,  and  what  chances  there  would 
be  of  finding  food,  and  if  there  really  was  a  way  of 
getting  to  Eg3^t  by  Zanzibar.  I  answered  all  these 
questions  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  and,  taking  out 
the  Khedive's  and  Nubar  Pasha's  letters,  I  handed 
them  to  the  chief  clerk,  and  told  him  to  read  them 
aloud  so  that  the  people  might  see  that  there  was  no 
wish  on  the  part  of  Effendina  or  their  Governor  to 
force  them  to  leave  the  country  if  they  preferred  to 
remain  where  they  were. 

The  letters  were  read  out  and  the  signatures 
carefully  examined  by  the  clerks,  who  said  they  would 
like  to  compare  the  signatures  of  the  letters  with 
Eifendina's  signature,  which  was  attached  to  the 
brevets  confirming  their  promotion.  I  told  them  they 
were  at  perfect  liberty  to  do  so,  and  several  ofiicers 
went  out  to  fetch  their  brevets. 

Whilst  we  were  waiting  for  these  to  arrive,  Fadl  el 
Mulla  began  to  speak  of  Hawashi  Eifendi,  and  told 
me  how  he  was  hated  by  all  the  people,  how  he  took 
their  women,  seized  their  cattle,  sheep,  and  corn,  and 
generally  abused  his.  position.  He  said  the  JVIudir 
had  upheld  him  in  all  he  did,  and  had  intrigued  with 
him  against  them,  for  which  they  were  greatly 
incensed  against  him.  He  then  asked  why  the 
Mudir  had  not  been  to  Rejaf,  why  he  had  given 

N 


'78 


Emm  Pasha. 


orders  for  the  station  of  Muggi  to  be  evacuated,  and 
concluded  by  saying  that  Emin  had  arranged  with 
Hawashi  Effendi  to  carry  away  all  the  ammunition 
and  leave  them  stranded  and  helpless  in  the  country 
at  the  mercy  of  the  natives. 

I  answered  all  these  questions  and  comments  as 
well  as  I  could,  but  I  saw  that  I  was  disbelieved,  for 
the  officers  constantly  interrupted  me  to  ask  questions, 
and  made  frequent  exclamations  of  incredulity 
while  I  was  speaking. 

Upon  the  officers  returning  with  their  brevets,  the 
signatures  of  these  were  most  carefully  compared 
with  the  signature  on  the  Khedive's  letter  which  we 
had  brought  with  us.  Unfortunately,  this  letter  had 
been  injured  by  damp  on  our  journey  through  the 
forest,  and  the  signature  was  slightly  blurred. 

The  letters  were  passed  from  clerk  to  clerk  for 
comparison  ;  they  seemed  unable  to  decide,  and  there 
was  a  good  deal  of  discussion  about  it.  At  last,  one 
clerk  threw  down  the  letter  at  my  feet,  exclaiming, 
"It  is  a  forgery,  and  you  and  your  master  are 
impostors."  My  first  impulse  was  to  knock  him 
down,  but  with  a  strong  effort  I  restrained  myself. 
Something  in  my  face  must  have  shown  the  officers 
how  difficult  the  effort  to  control  my  anger  was,  for 
they  dragged  the  clerk  away  and  ordered  him  to  be 
silent. 

A  great  excitement  followed,  and  in  the  discussion 
it  was  decided  to  send  steamers  full  of  people  down 
to  Stanley,  whom  they  now  told  me  had  arrived  in 
N'sabe  at  the  south  end  of  the  Lake. 

I  told  them  it  was  not  the  slightest  use  going 
without  taking  either  the  Mudir  or  myself  with  them. 


/  taunt  the  Rebels. 


I 

1/9 


for  Stanley's  first  question  would  be,  "  Where  is  your 
Mudir,  where  is  my  officer  ?  "  and  he  would  at  once 
understand  what  had  happened,  and  would  probably 
fire  on  them.  T  then  suggested  that  they  should 
take  the  Mudir  and  me  with  them,  and  that  we 
should  all  go  together  before  Stanley,  and  hold  a 
consultation  in  his  camp. 

This,  they  at  once  refused  to  do,  and  said  their 
Mudir  should  not  move  from  his  prison  in  Dufile. 
Seeing  it  was  useless  to  press  them  to  adopt  this 
plan,  I  told  them  they  must  take  me.  This  also  they 
refused  to  do  ;  and  said  they  would  tell  Stanley  that 
we  were  busy  here,  and  would  ask  him  to  come  down 
with  them  to  see  the  Mudir  and  me.  I  told  them 
they  did  not  know  the  man  with  whom  they  proposed 
to  deal ;  he  would  see  through  the  thin  covering  of 
their  plot  like  lightning  and  moreover  would  act  like 
lightning.  Still  they  refused  to  let  me  go.  Where- 
upon I  taunted  them  with  treating  their  guest  in  this 
way  and  told  them  they  were  acting  like  savages.  I 
had  come  among  them  only  to  help  them,  and  after 
greeting  me  on  my  entry  into  the  country  with  bows 
and  fine  words,  they  had  intrigued  against  me,  my 
life  had  been  threatened  at  Lahore,  I  had  been 
imprisoned  and  insulted  here,  and  now  they  had 
refused  to  allow  me  to  join  my  own  people.  "  Do 
not,"  I  said,  "  come  before  me  again  with  your 
bowings  and  protestations,  and  do  not  offer  me  your 
hands,  for  I  know  your  hearts  are  full  of  treachery 
against  me,  your  guest,  who  has  come  to  help  you. 
You  are  savages  and  not  soldiers."  At  this  tirade  of 
mine,  a  tremendous  confusion  of  tongues  arose,  some 
were  for  punishing  me  for  my  rash  words,  notably 

N  2 


i8o 


Emin  Pasha. 


Ali  Aga  Djabor,  and  some  cried  shame.  But,  at 
any  rate,  I  had  struck  the  right  chord  in  taunting 
them  with  having  acted  contrary  to  the  strict  law  of 
Mahomedan  hospitality,  I  could  not  possibly  have 
said  any  bitterer  thing  to  them.  There  is,  too,  in 
these  people,  these  negroes,  a  certain  rough  chivalry. 
Xot  only  have  I  noticed  it  here,  but  I  have  constantly 
seen  it  in  our  Zanzibaris.  "  Chivalry  in  a  negro  !  "  I 
hear  some  people  say  in  a  tone  of  contempt,  and  I 
answer,  "  Yes,  chivalry  in  a  negro,  as  chivalry  in 
a  European."  It  may  not  wear  quite  the  same  form 
as  ours,  but  for  all  that,  it  is  chivalry  of  the  truest 
kind.  Touch  that  string,  strike  that  chord,  and  you 
will  be  answered  by  as  true  a  strain  of  melody  as 
ever  you  could  draw  from  a  European. 

High  above  the  confusion  of  tongues  rose  the  voice 
of  Fadl  el  Mulla.  "  By  Allah  !  he  has  spoken  truly, 
and  he  shall  join  his  people.  I  am  the  head  of  the 
Council  and  I  swear  it  !  " 

With  but  few  exceptions  they  all  agreed,  and  it 
was  decided  that  in  three  days  the  steamer  should 
start,  and  I  should  go  with  them.  This  was  all  I 
wanted,  this  was  the  concession  I  had  been  working 
for,  and  shaking  hands  with  Fadl  el  Mulla  and  bowing 
to  the  rest  of  the  officers,  I  left  the  divan.  I  had  a 
horrible  fever  on  me  that  day,  and  during  the  three 
hours  I  had  been  speaking  with  the  rebels  in  the  hot 
stifling  divan  my  head  had  gone  round,  and  several 
times  I  had  nearly  fallen.  On  reaching  our  com- 
pound, I  threw  myself  on  my  angarep  utterly 
exhausted,  and  Emin  came  into  my  hut  to  hear 
the  result  of  my  mission. 

He  had  hardl}^  expected  that  he  would  be  allowed 


Criminals  Released. 


i8i 


to  leave  Dufile,  but  was  very  glad  to  hear  that  I  had 
induced  the  rebels  to  allow  me  to  go.  We  discussed 
what  would  be  the  best  plan  to  suggest  to  Stanley 
when  I  reached  him,  but  we  doubted  if  he  would 
consider  himself  strong  enough  to  seize  the  steamer, 
and  come  down  in  her  to  Dufile  to  rescue  Emin. 

A  good  many  rumours  were  going  about  the 
stations  concerning  the  rebels'  plan  of  campaign, 
some  of  them  so  outrageous  that  it  was  impossible  to 
believe  them.  A  paper  was  sent  in  to  Emin, 
containing  a  proposition  from  the  rebel  officers,  that 
in  order  to  restore  confidence  among  the  people, 
they  considered  it  advisable  that  Emin  should  rein- 
state in  their  places  such  officers  and  clerks  as  had 
been  degraded  and  put  out  of  -office. 

These  men  had  been  condemned  by  court  martial, 
composed  of  the  officers  themselves,  so  that  it  seemed 
a  most  extraordinary  thing  that  they  should  wish  the 
sentences  which  they  themselves  had  passed  to  be 
reversed.  However,  Emin  giving  in  to  "  force 
majeur,"  signed  the  paper. 

Many  of  these  men  had  been  condemned  for 
heinous  crimes,  such  as  striking  their  superior  officer, 
stealing,  and  one  case  was  that  of  a  soldier  who  had 
deliberately  fired  at  and  wounded  his  captain, 
Suliman  Aga.  One  would  have  thought  that  the 
release  of  these  men,  whose  crimes  were  nearly  all 
against  their  officers,  would  have  w^eakened  their 
influence  over  the  soldiers,  but  I  suppose  they 
thought  otherwise.  It  was  a  kind  of  bidding  for 
popularity. 

Like  the  Irishman,  they  were  "  agin  the  Govern- 
ment,"  whatever  had  been  done  under  it. 


Emin  Pasha. 


The  rebels  also  requested  Emin  to  sign  a  paper 
relating  to  a  change  in  the  administration  of  the 
Province  ;  to  this  he  also  put  his  seal.  It  was  decided 
by  the  rebels  that  nothing  should  be  done  until  they 
had  finished  their  business  with  Stanley,  or  if  the 
news  of  his  arrival  was  not  true,  certain  officers  and 
clerks  from  the  different  southern  stations  were  to  be 
brought  down  in  the  steamers,  to  attend  the  large 
council  which  would  then  sit  at  Dufile.  The  rebels 
had  told  me  that  the  steamer  was  to  start  on 
September  4th,  but  on  the  night  of  the  2nd,  I 
heard  from  my  boy  that  preparations  were  being 
made  for  a  start  the  next  morning.  I  accordingly 
sent  him  down  to  the  steamer  to  ask  the  captain 
what  orders  he  had  received.  He  said  he  was  under 
an  order  to  start  for  "Wadelai  early  the  next  day. 
Upon  this  I  sent  over  to  Fadl  de  Mulla  to  say  that  I 
wished  to  speak  to  him.  He  sent  two  of  his  orderlies 
with  a  polite  message  to  say  he  would  be  glad  to  see 
me,  and  accompanied  by  them  I  went  over  to  his  hut. 
He  offered  me  cigarettes  and  coffee,  which  I  accepted, 
and  we  sat  talking  for  some  time  upon  impersonal 
matters,  things  of  travel,  African  customs,  etc.  I 
then  asked  him  how  it  was  that  after  he  had  given 
me  his  word  that  I  should  go  in  the  steamer  to  join 
Stanley,  that  he  was  sending  her  off  a  day  sooner 
than  he  had  said,  without  telling  me  a  word  about  it. 
I  told  him  it  was  evident  to  me  he  was  not  acting 
up  to  his  word — his  word,  upon  which  I  had  put  a 
liigher  value  than  he  himself.  After  the  emphatic 
way  in  which  he  had  spoken  before  the  Council,  I  had 
gone  awa}^,  feeling  that  I  could  trust  him,  ^rith  the 
result  that  I  now  found  he  intended  to  deceive  me. 


Preparing  J  or  a  Start. 


He  said  it  was  perfectly  true  he  was  deceiving  me  ; 
that  the  night  before,  Ali  Aga  Djabor,  Mustapha 
Effendi  Mahmoud,  and  some  others  had  come  to  him, 
and  had  urged  him  to  prevent  m}^  going  ;  they  were 
angry  at  my  taunting  them  in  the  divan.  He  had 
unwillingly  given  in,  and  had  agreed  to  send  the 
steamer  off  without  letting  me  know  an}i;hing  about 
it.  He  now  told  me  she  was  to  start  the  next  day, 
and  as  he  had  given  me  his  word  that  I  should  go, 
he  would  see  that  I  went,  in  spite  of  the  opposition 
of  some  of  the  officers.    I  thanked  him,  and  left  him. 

On  returning  to  our  compound,  I  told  Emin  about 
my  interview,  and  began  at  once  to  get  my  things 
ready  for  the  morrow,  for  I  felt  I  could  not  trust  these 
people,  and  if  I  were  not  sharp,  even  now,  they 
might  leave  me  behind.  Emin  lent  me  certain 
things  which  he  thought  would  be  useful  to  me ; 
indeed,  his  kindness  and  generosity  in  such  things 
was  unceasing.    He  never  seemed  tired  of  giving. 

He  seemed  very  much  down  at  the  idea  of  being 
left  alone,  for  I  acted  as  a  sort  of  moral  buffer  between 
him  and  the  rebels  ;  he  thought  that  they  were  less 
likely  to  proceed  to  extremities  if  I,  a  stranger,  were 
with  him. 

However,  I  knew  I  was  really  doing  the  best  for 
him  by  going,  and  would  probably  be  able  better  to 
help  him  out  of  his  difficulties.  He  gave  me  a 
number  of  commissions  to  do  at  Wadelai,  and  I  was 
to  take  his  collections,  and  all  his  journals,  and  hand 
them  over  to  Stanley,  in  case  anything  should  happen 
to  him  during  my  absence.  I  was  also  to  see  and 
deliver  letters  to  certain  people  whom  he  considered 
were  likely  to  be  faithful.    He  begged  me  to  be  most 


Emin  Pasha. 


cautious  and  wary  in  doing  this,  for  if  the  rebel 
officers  suspected  anything,  they  and  I  would  probably 
be  at  once  put  into  prison.  He  gave  me  certain 
orders  to  give  to  his  servants  in  Wadelai,  and 
entreated  me  to  do  my  utmost  to  send  him  news  by 
the  hand  of  some  faithful  interpreter. 

On  the  morning  of  September  3rd,  I  was  up  early, 
and  had  all  my  things  ready,  and  sent  over  word  to 
Achmet  Aga  Dinkaue,  who  was  going  in  command 
of  the  steamer  party,  to  tell  him  I  wanted  men  to 
carry  my  things  down  to  the  steamer.  He  sent  my 
boy  away,  and  had  the  impertinence  to  tell  him  that 
after  the  officers'  baggage  had  been  put  on  board, 
mine  should  go.  Suspecting  another  effort  to  leave 
me  behind,  I  ordered  Emin's  and  my  orderlies  to 
take  my  things  at  once  on  to  the  steamer,  lock  them 
into  one  of  the  cabins,  and  to  bring  me  the  key. 

I  then  went  over  to  see  Fadl  el  Mulla,  to  beg  him 
to  allow  no  violence  to  be  done  against  the  Governor 
during  my  absence.  I  told  him  if  violence  was  once 
begun,  there  would  be  no  stopping  it,  and  it  would 
get  beyond  his  control.  He  assured  me  tTiat  nothing 
should  be  done  against  him,  but  that  everything 
would  wait  until  the  officers  had  arrived  at  Dufile 
from  the  southern  stati-ons.  Ali  Aga  Djabor  came 
in  while  T  was  talking,  and  again  tried  to  persuade 
Fadl  el  Mulla  to  prevent  my  going,  but  he  said  he 
had  already  given  his  word  and  would  not  depart 
from  it. 

It  was  very  sad  saying  farewell  to  Emin,  for  there 
was  no  knowing  what  might  happen ;  perhaps  I 
might  never  see  him  again.  He  took  my  hand,  and 
wished  me  God  speed.    I  merely  wrung  his  hand  in 


Steamer  Journey,  185 


return,  for  a  lump  rose  in  mj  throat,  and  prevented 
ray  speaking. 

On  reaching  the  steamer,  I  found  the  rebel  ofl&cers 
had  not  yet  come  down,  but  I  seated  myself  on  deck 
to  show  them  I  was  determined  to  go  whether  they 
liked  it  or  not. 

After  about  half  an  hour  the  officers  came  down, 
and  nearly  all  the  station  turned  out  to  see  us  off.  I 
went  up  to  Fadl  el  Mull  a  and  told  him  I  wanted  to 
take  our  boat  the  Advance,  which  I  had  with  me, 
down  to  Stanley.  All  the  officers  refused,  and  said 
there  was  no  use  in  taking  it  as  I  was  coming  back 
to  Dufile,  but  I  insisted,  and  went  myself  and  stood 
over  the  men  when  they  launclud  her  and  put  in 
the  oars  and  rowlocks.  Fadl  el  Mulla  said  he  allowed 
her  to  go  only  on  condition  that  I  gave  him  my  word 
that  in  any  case,  whether  Stanley  was  at  the  lake  or 
not,  I  would  return  to  Dufile,  I  readily  gave  this 
promise. 

It  was  delightful  to  be  out  again,  though  I  had 
only  been  in  prison  a  fortnight,  the  river  seemed  to 
me  to  be  so  smiling,  the  grass  so  green,  and  the  dis- 
tant mountains  so  beautiful. 

There  were  eight  rebel  officers  on  board  and  a 
great  number  of  soldiers.  The  crowding  and  con- 
fusion on  the  steamer  was  horrible. 

The  officers  had  their  angareps  out  on  deck,  and 
lay  down  on  them  all  day,  so  that  there  was  no  stand- 
ing room,  and  all  the  soldiers  and  boys  crowded  aft 
to  get  shelter  from  the  sun.  The  people  were  con- 
stantly smoking  or  eating,  and  spat  and  eructated 
all  round  one.  I  was,  of  course,  unable  to  eat  any- 
thing.   No  one  could  imagine  how  disgusting  it  was  to 


i86 


Emin  Pasha. 


1 


be  herded  so  closely  with  these  people;  moreover, 
the  smell  of  the  cooking  with  bad  butter,  and  the 
heat  of  the  engines,  and  all  this  under  a  broiling  sun 
with  only  a  low  corrugated  iron  roof  over  head,  com- 
bined to  make  the  place  stifling  and  unbearable. 
The  officers  asked  me  to  partake  of  their  food,  but  I 
declined  with  a  bland  smile. 

Most  of  the  people  talked  to  my  boy  Binza  a  good 
deal,  and  he  told  me  it  was  chiefly  with  a  view  to 
getting  out  of  him  the  truth  about  our  coming  from 
Egypt. 

Owing  to  the  tremendous  heat  on  the  steamer,  as 
a  matter  of  course  I  got  an  attack  of  fever,  and  in 
the  evening  I  got  the  officers  to  have  a  place  cleared 
for  my  angarep.  However,  at  9  o'clock  a  violent 
thunderstorm  came  on,  and  soon  drenched  me  througrh 
and  through,  and  I  lay  shivering  till  the  morning. 
The  boys  and  soldiers  had  crowded  aft  when  the  rain 
came  on  to  get  under  the  shelter  of  the  iron  roof,  but 
the  rain  drove  sheer  through  the  vessel,  and  several 
people  got  under  my  angarep,  and  between  them 
managed  to  pull  down  my  mosquito  curtain,  which 
considerably  added  to  my  general  feeling  of  dis- 
comfort. The  result  of  the  wetting  was,  I  got  such 
fearful  fever  that  I  could  hardly  stand  up  when  we 
reached  Wadelai. 

Only  a  few  people  were  at  the  water's  edge  to 
meet  the  steamer,  and  they  seemed  considerably 
astonished  at  seeing  who  was  in  the  steamer,  they 
had  heard  that  there  was  trouble  at  Dufile,  but  did 
not  know  the  extent  of  it. 

I  at  once  went  to  the  Pasha's  compound,  and 
established  myself  in  my  house,  where  several  well 


Arrival  at  Wadelai. 


187 


affected  people  came  to  greet  me  and  hear  tlie  news. 
Signor  Marco  and  the  storekeeper,  who  was  a  Christian, 
were  terribly  cut  up  by  the  news,  and  the  tears 
rolled  down  their  cheeks  as  I  related  the  story  of  our 
troubles.  They  told  me  they  had  heard  no  further 
news  concerning  Stanley's  arrival,  and  were  inclined 
to  think  that  the  report  was  untrue.  This  was  of 
course  a  bitter  disappointment  to  me. 

Poor  little  Farida  came  in  to  see  me  with  her 
nurse,  and  wanted  to  know  why  I  had  not  brought 
her  "  Baba  "  with  me,  she  evidently  seemed  to  think 
something  was  wrong,  but  could  not  quite  understand 
what  it  was. 

As  soon  as  I  had  greeted  the  few  people  who  came 
to  see  me  I  went  off  to  bed,  for  I  was  feeling  terribly 
ill  and  seedy,  I  Avoke  up  next  morning  feeling  very 
bad,  but  I  had  so  many  things  to  do  for  Emin  that  it 
was  no  good  giving  in  to  it.  I  saw  several  people, 
to  some  of  whom  I  delivered  Emin's  letters.  I  packed 
the  collections  and  journals  ready  to  take  to  Stanley, 
and  interviewed  Emin's  servants,  who  all  came  before 
me,  and  assured  me  of  their  loyalt}^  to  their  master. 
Signor  Marco  came  in,  and  I  transacted  a  good  deal 
of  business  with  him,  and  arranged  things  according 
to  Emin's  request.  He  told  me  that  the  rebel  officers 
were  closeted  with  those  of  Wadelai,  but  were  sitting 
with  closed  doors,  and  he  had  as  yet  been  unable  to 
hear  anything.  He  told  me  also  the  surprising  fact, 
that  a  week  before  a  native  woman  had  given  birth 
to  five  children,  three  boys  and  two  girls.  One  of 
the  boys  had  died,  but  the  rest  were  doing  well,  as 
was  also  the  mother.  The  children  were  small,  but 
otherwise  well  formed ;  the  father  was  a  wretched- 


i88 


Emin  Pasha. 


looking  little  fellow,  wlio  was  badly  wounded  four 
years  before,  at  Rimo  during  the  Mahdi  war.  I  sent 
the  woman  a  present  of  ten  dollars. 

In  tlie  afternoon  the  rebels  and  soldiers  went 
over  and  examined  everything  in  the  storehouses  and 
powder  magazine.  I  heard  that  they  proposed  to 
take  half  of  the  ammunition  down  to  Dufile  on  their 
return  here,  and  to  make  that  place  the  head-quarters 
of  the  Province. 

In  the  evening  I  was  told  that  a  long  council  had 
been  held  that  day,  between  the  Fabbo,  "Wadelai,  and 
Dufile  officers.  The  result  was  that  they  had  halved 
the  ammunition,  and  had  packed  it  ready  for 
removal.  The  soldiers  did  not  like  this  arrange- 
ment at  all. 

The  next  morning  I  found  that  sentries  had  been 
posted  at  my  gate,  and  no  one  except  my  servant 
and  orderlies  were  alloAved  to  enter.  Even  Marco 
was  forbidden  to  come  and  see  me  !  I  concluded 
the  rebel  officers,  seeing  the  Wadelai  people  were 
not  particularly  friendly  to  them,  were  afraid  I  should 
plot  with  them  against  the  faction  at  Dufile.  So  I 
was  again  a  prisoner. 

The  next  day  Marco  sent  me  in  a  note  by  one  of 
my  orderlies  saying  that  the  rebel  officers,  finding 
less  percussion  caps  in  the  magazine  than  they 
expected,  threatened  to  search  the  Pasha's  compound 
and  houses  in  which  they  said  they  were  convinced 
they  were  hidden.  This  would  mean  a  wholesale 
robbery  if  their  threat  was  carried  out.  There  was 
great  discontent  and  murmuring  among  the  soldiers 
at  the  arbitrary  way  in  which  the  Dufile  officers  were 
behaving,  but  I  knew  it  meant  nothing,  for  they 


The  Soudan  lost  by  Treachery.  189 

were  like  a  lot  of  slieep,  and  did  whatever  their 
officers  told  them. 

I  sent  three  times  for  Kodi  Aga,  the  chief  of  the 
station,  as  he  had  not  come  in  to  see  me  on  mj 
arrival  ;  but  each  time  he  put  my  boy  off.  Emin 
believed  implicity  in  his  loyalty,  and  I  also  had 
thought  him  a  good  fellow  ;  I  hardly  knew  now  what 
to  think  about  him,  but  I  put  down  his  refusal  to 
come  and  see  me  to  the  fact  that  the  rebel  officers 
had  forbidden  him  to  enter  my  hut. 

The  long  delay  here  was  most  unfortunate,  the 
people  seemed  to  be  idling  instead  of  collecting  wood 
for  the  steamer,  and  I  was  very  anxious  to  ascertain 
whether  the  news  of  Stanley's  arrival  was  actually 
true.  Nor  did  the  rebel  officers  seem  in  any  hurry 
to  get  on,  I  suppose  they  did  not  wish  to  leave  the 
station  until  they  had  brought  round  the  people  to 
their  side.  There  were  constant  disturbances  in  the 
station  and  quarrels  among  the  officers  and  soldiers, 
which  all  went  to  show  that  the  people  here  were  not 
so  strong  for  the  rebellion  as  the  Dufile  people 
imagined.  They  were  a  horrid  lot,  these  people  of 
Emin's,  and  it  was  like  a  nightmare  being  with  them. 
There  is  no  atmosphere  so  appalling  as  the  atmos- 
phere of  treachery.  The  hopeless  feeling  of  not 
being  able  to  put  your  hand  on  one  person  and  feel 
he  is  to  be  trusted  ;  to  have  every  word  and  action 
twisted  and  misconstrued  by  those  for  whose  good 
alone  you  are  thinking  and  working  !  The  whole 
story  of  the  loss  of  the  Soudan  is  one  of  treachery. 
I  could  understand  better  now  what  Grordon  must 
have  felt  when  he  gave  up  his  life  for  the  people  for 
whose  liberty  he  had  fought  and  struggled  so  long, 


Emin  Pasha, 


only  to  find  himself  distrusted,  and  every  action  and 
endeavour  for  their  good  turned  against  him  and 
misunderstood.  What  must  not  Emin  have  felt,  shut 
up  in  Dufile,  Avith  those  semi-savages  around  him, 
thinking  only  of  what  fresh  insults  they  could  heap 
upon  him  and  what  fresh  concessions  they  could 
wring  from  him  ?  Each  night  the  same  drunken 
scenes  went  on  in  the  rebels'  compound,  and  no  one 
knew  each  night  whether  in  their  drunken,  maddened 
state  they  might  not  commit  some  deed  of  violence, 
and  plunge  the  station  into  wholesale  riot  and  blood- 
shed. Like  Gordon,  he  too  had  given  up  much  for 
his  people,  and  I  shuddered  when  I  thought  of  poor 
Emin  left  alone  in  Dufile. 

Are  not  such  men  wasted  in  such  a  useless  sacri- 
fice ?  What  but  utter  failure  has  been  the  end  of  all 
the  work  done  in  the  Soudan  ?  Everything  has  been 
lost  by  treachery.  Ignorance,  fierceness,  and  even 
cruelty,  may  be  eradicated,  but  treachery  never, 
it  is  born  in  people,  and  must  come  out ;  no  civiliza- 
tion will  ever  do  away  with  it. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


STEAMER  JOURNEY  WITH  REBELS. 

Kodi  Aga's  defection — Sand  bar — Arrival  at  Tunguru  —  Stanley's 
iirrival  contradicted — Casati's  grievances — Abdullah  Vaab  EHendi 
— Casati's  life  in  the  Province — Keason  of  his  coming  to  Africa 
— His  treatment  by  Kaba-regga— Suliinan  Aga  beaten  by  his 
soldiei-s — Yita's  house  looted — Emin's  Irregulars— Departure  of 
steamer  for  M'swa — Moslem  protestations  of  friemlliness — - 
Influence  of  Egyptians  on  the  Soudanese — Message  from  Shulcri 
Aga — Shukri  Aga's  ruse — Seizure  of  ammunition  by  rebels — 
From  Tunguru  to  "VYadelai — Drunken  officers  set  fire  to  huts — 
Breakfast  of  African  dainties — Farida  and  the  necklace — 
Steamer  journey  to  Dufile — Emin's  judges— Arrival  at  Dufile — 
Sad  fate  of  the  Kirri  clerk. 

Before  leaving  AVadelai,  I  wrote  a  letter  to  Emin 
telling  him  of  all  tliat  had  happened.  This  I  handed 
over  to  Signor  Marco,  who  promised  to  send  it  down 
by  a  Lur  interpreter. 

After  waiting  four  days  we  left  Wadelai,  and  I 
found  that  Kodi  Aga,  the  chief  of  the  station,  was 
going  with  us.  I  was  very  sorry,  for  from  this  it 
was  evident  that  he  had  joined  the  rebels  ;  I  noticed 
he  avoided  meeting  my  eye  when  I  looked  his  way. 
It  seemed  a  bad  look  out  for  Emin,  for  he  had 
thoroughly  trusted  Kodi  Aga.  Some  three  or  four 
hours  distant  from  Wadelai,  a  sand  bar  runs  right 
across  the  river,  which  at  low  Nile  has  not  much 
depth  of  water  over  it.  Here  we  stuck,  and  as  the 
steamer  was  heavily  loaded,  all  the  people  had  to  be 


192 


Emin  Pasha. 


put  ashore,  and  it  was  necessary  to  further  lighten 
her  by  discharging  some  of  the  wood.    It  was  more 

than  five  hours  before  we  were  able  to  get  across  the 
bar. 

All  the  sandbanks  in  the  river  were  covered  with 
crocodiles  of  all  sizes,  from  small  babies  to  huge 
beasts  more  than  twenty  feet  long.  They  are  most 
loathsome  looking  animals.  Owing  to  the  stoppage 
at  the  bar,  we  were  unable  to  reach  Tunguru  that 
day,  and  had  to  tie  up  against  the  bank  as  soon  as 
darkness  came  on.  These  stoppages  on  the  river  at 
night  were  always  unpleasant,  for  it  was  the  wet 
season,  and  it  usually  rained  heavily  at  night ;  the 
mosquitos  too  were  present  in  swarms. 

The  next  morning  was  rainy  and  bitterly  cold,  for 
the  river,  near  its  egress  from  the  lake,  widens  out 
immensely,  and  a  cold  wind  swept  across  the  water 
and  chilled  one  to  the  bones. 

For  the  first  time  I  here  saw  wild  giraffes ;  there 
were  great  herds  of  them  feeding  near  the  river 
shore.  In  the  distance  they  were  the  queerest 
looking  beasts  I  had  ever  seen.  They  have  a 
peculiar  way  of  straddling  out  their  fore  legs  when 
feeding,  to  enable  themselves  to  reach  the  grass  or 
anything  they  want  to  pick  up  off  the  ground,  for 
long  as  their  necks  are,  they  are  so  high  in  the 
withers,  that  it  is  impossible  for  their  noses  to  reach 
the  ground  when  standing  in  their  natural  posture. 
They  all  made  off  as  the  steamer  approached,  mo%njig 
at  a  slow  swinging  trot,  which  made  them  look  most 
ludicrous. 

On  arri^ang  at  Tunguru  we  found  the  small 
steamer  Nyanza  there,  and  Suliman  Aga  to  meet  us 


Captain  Casati. 


193 


on  the  beacli.  He  had  evidently  been  drinking, 
for  after  shaking  hands  with  me  he  tried  to  embrace 
me,  but  I  managed  to  avoid  this  trying  ordeal. 

The  soldiers  were  all  drawn  up,  and  saluted  me  as 


PORiKAlT  OF  CAPTAIN  CASATI. 


1  passed,  and  a  good  many  people  came  to  greet  me. 
I  walked  on  to  Captain  Casati's  compound,  where 
he  welcomed  me  with  true  southern  warmth,  and  asked 
eagerly  for  news.  Rumours  had  come  down  of 
troubles  going  on  to  the  north,  but  he  did  not  yet 
know  what  form  they  had  taken.    He  was  terribly 

o 


194 


Emin  Pasha. 


depressed  when  I  told  him  all  that  had  happened, 
and  handed  him  over  a  letter  from  Vita  Hassan,  the 
apothecary,  which  had  been  entrusted  to  my  care. 
During  Vita's  absence  Casati  managed  his  house  and 
servants  for  him.  The  letter  contained  a  most  woe- 
begone tale  of  all  that  had  occurred ;  Vita  had 
evidently  written  in  great  depression  of  spirits. 

From  Captain  Casati  I  learned  that  nothing 
further  had  been  heard  of  the  people,  who,  according 
to  native  report,  had  reached  the  neighbourhood  of 
the  lake.  The  natives  had  only  told  Shukri  Aga's 
men  that  a  large  force  of  people  had  arrived  at  and 
were  crossing  "the  great  river."  This  I  took  to  be 
the  Ituri. 

The  news  had  come  from  Nampigua,  who  was  one 
of  the  strongest  of  Stanley's  native  allies. 

It  was  now  eighteen  days  since  Shukri  Aga  had 
first  heard  the  news,  and  he  had  immediately  sent 
Chief  Mogo,  who  had  formerly  brought  us  the 
Pasha's  letter,  with  a  letter  to  leave  with  Kavalli, 
another  of  our  native  friends.  Mogo  was  to  return 
at  once  and  bring  back  what  news  he  could  of  the 
strangers.    He  had  not  yet  returned. 

The  general  impression  was  that  it  was  not  Stanley 
after  all,  and  I  myself  felt  no  doubt  whatever  now 
that  the  report  was  a  false  one.  It  is  always  so 
difficult  to  believe  native  reports  ;  the  news  gets 
handed  from  tribe  to  tribe  with  all  sorts  of  additions, 
until  at  last  the  originator  of  the  story  would  not  be 
able  to  recognize  it. 

Casati  had  a  long  story  of  grievances  to  tell  me, 
asrainst  Suliman  Aga.  How  he  had  given  him  no 
com,  and  had  practically  "boycotted"  him.  Casati 


Casatts  Story.  195 

was  unfortunately  situated  ;  be  bad  a  boy,  Vakeel, 
to  -wbom  be  was  very  devoted,  tbis  boy  constantly 
brougbt  him  in  stories  be  bad  heard,  and  made  a 
good  deal  of  mischief  gerierall}'-  in  the  station.  For 
tbis  be  was  bated  and  distrusted  by  all,  and  Casati 
naturally  shared  in  the  odium.  He  was,  unfortunately, 
entirely  dependent  upon  the  Government  for  food 
and  clothes,  so  that  in  Emin's  absence  the  chief  of 
the  station  had  it  in  bis  power  to  make  things  un- 
comfortable for  him. 

I  established  myself  in  my  former  but  in  Emin's 
compound,  and  Vita's  servants,  by  the  order  of  their 
master,  brougbt  me  food  and  everything  I  wanted, 
and  made  me  as  comfortable  as  they  could. 

Abdullah  Vaab  Eifendi,  an  Egyptian  officer  whom 
Emin  had  imprisoned,  but  who  bad  since  been  freed 
by  the  rebels,  came  to  see  me,  and  asked  me  if  he  could 
do  anything  for  me ;  his  whole  bouse  was  at  my 
disposal,  etc.,  etc.  He  was  one  of  those  concerned 
in  Arabi's  rebellion,  and  had  spoken  strongly  against 
Emin,  but  now  that  the  rebellion  had  broken  out  he 
seemed  frightened  at  what  he  bad  done.  He  was  a 
good-looking  fellow,  but  had  a  crafty  fox-like  look. 

Casati  came  in  frequently  to  see  me  and  to  report 
what  was  going  on  in  the  station,  for  the  rebels 
would  not  allow  me  to  leave  my  compound,  and 
objected  to  anyone  but  Casati  going  to  see  me.  He 
said  he  intended  returning  with  me  to  Dufile,  to  try 
and  help  the  Pasha  if  possible.  Emin  and  he  had 
had  a  serious  difference  soon  after  my  coming  into 
the  Province,  and  bad  not  been  on  speaking  terms 
for  three  months,  but  Casati  seemed  to  forget  all 
about  it  now  that  Emin  was  in  trouble. 

o  2 


196 


Emin  Pasha. 


Casati,  during  the  eight  years  he  had  been  in 
Africa,  had  quite  given  up  European  habits,  and  lived 
almost  like  an  Oriental.  He  scarcely  ever  left  his 
own  house  till  the  evening,  when  he  used  to  go  and 
gossip  with  the  people  of  the  station.  He  sat  in  his 
but  all  day  and  smoked  ;  he  had  no  books,  and  kept 
no  journal ;  I  never  could  understand  how  he  managed 
to  pass  the  time,  but  he  was  very  helpful  to  Emin, 

Eight  years  before,  Gessi  Pasha,  who  was  then 
governor  of  Bahr  el  Ghazal,  had  sent  to  the  Milan 
Geographical  Society,  saying  that,  if  it  would  send 
out  a  geographer  to  his  Province,  he  would  pay  his 
passage  up  from  Khartoum  and  provide  for  him 
entirely  while  he  was  there.  Thus  Gessi  would 
get  his  Province  mapped  out,  and  the  Milan 
Geographical  Society  would  be  able  to  obtain 
many  interesting  geographical  facts.  The  proposal 
was  accepted  and  Casati  sent  out.  Shortly  after 
Casati's  arrival  in  the  Bahr  el  Ghazal,  Gessi  left  for 
Europe,  and  died  at  Suez  on  his  way  home.  Casati 
was  practically  abandoned  by  Gessi,  who  left  him 
almost  destitute,  and  he  was  obliged  to  retire  to 
Monbuttu,  and  there  lived  for  nearly  three  years 
almost  like  a  native.  When  he  was  at  last  in  great 
straits,  Emin  rescued  him  and  brought  him  to  live  in 
the  Equatorial  Province. 

For  eighteen  months  Casati  had  been  living  near 
Kibero  in  Unyoro,  where  he  had  been  a  sort  of 
agent  for  Emin  at  Kaba-regga's  court,  and  had  been 
of  great  use  in  forwarding  letters  to  Zanzibar  by 
way  of  Uganda  for  him.  Six  months  before,  Kaba- 
regga  had  driven  him  out  of  the  country,  and  had 
destroyed  all  the  valuable  geographical  observations, 
which  had  taken  him  so  many  years  to  collect. 


Vitas  House  Looted. 


197 


One  of  the  first  things  the  rebels  did  after 
holding  a  short  council  with  their  confederates 
here,  was  to  put  Suliman  Aga  out  of  office.  They 
went  among  the  soldiers,  and  told  them  they  were 
no  longer  to  obey  Suliman  Aga.  The  soldiers  hated 
him  as  he  was  always  beating  them,  and  were  ready 
enough  to  obey  them  ;  I  was  told  Suliman  Aga  re- 
monstrated and  dared  the  rebels  to  enter  the  powder 
magazine,  but  he  was  knocked  down  and  beaten  by 
the  soldiers,  and  a  disgraceful  scene  took  place.  I 
could  see  that  the  rebel  officers  were  putting  a  spirit 
of  insubordination  into  the  soldiers,  which  I  felt  sure 
would  eventually  recoil  on  themselves,  for  at  this  time 
the  people  were  ripe  for  rebellion,  and  were  ready 
enough  to  do  anything  against  law  and  order. 

The  rebel  officers  had  turned  everything  upside 
down  in  the  station,  and  no  one,  even  if  he  wished 
it,  dared  oppose  them.  They  put  Saleh  Aga,  a 
creature  of  their  own,  in  Suliman  Aga's  place  as 
chief  of  the  station. 

On  the  morning  of  September  11th,  all  the  rebel 
officers  and  clerks  went  over  to  Vita  Hassan's  com- 
pound and  searched  the  whole  place.  They  felt 
convinced,  they  said,  that  he  had  concealed  Govern- 
ment property  there.  They  found  nothing  belonging 
to  Grovernment,  but  helped  themselves  to  a  good 
many  things.  The  women  and  servants  of  the 
household  tried  to  oppose  them,  but  the  rebel  officers 
pushed  them  aside,  and  a  tremendous  din  ensued. 

It  was  a  most  unpardonable  outrage,  and  showed 
how  ready  the  people  were  to  rob  and  steal  and  to 
take  advantage  of  the  confusion  into  which  every- 
thing had  been  thrown  by  the  rebellion.  There 
were  in  the  stations  of  Tunguru  and  M'swa,  a  great 


198 


Emin  Pasha. 


I 


many  people  of  the  country  about  Dongola.  These 
had  come  up  to  Bahr  el  Ghazal  and  to  Emin's 
Province  for  the  purpose  of  trading,  years  before  ; 
they  were  much  disliked  by  the  Regulars  on  account 
of  their  being  of  the  same  race  as  the  Mahdi's 
soldiers.  Emin  had  rescued  these  people  from  his 
soldiers,  who  after  the  Mahdi  war  wished  to  kill  them, 
and  had  formed  them  into  a  regiment  of  Irregulars. 
Nearly  all  of  them  were  artisans,  and  knew  some 
trade,  such  as  boot-making  or  cotton-weaving,  some 
were  also  saddle-makers,  or  rough  jewellers  who 
made  silver  ornaments  for  the  women.  They  were 
the  most  useful  people  in  Emin's  Province,  and  had 
hitherto  been  protected  against  the  Regulars  by  Emin. 

Now  that  he  was  deposed,  they  were  in  a  great 
state  of  fear,  and  Ibrahim  Aga,  their  chief,  came  to 
me  saying  the  soldiers  had  threatened  to  kill 
them.  I  could  only  advise  him  to  tell  his  people  to 
keep  in  their  quarters  whilst  the  excitement  lasted 
in  the  station,  and  to  avoid  giving  any  offence  to  the 
Regulars,  who  only  wanted  some  excuse  now  to 
break  out  into  open  violence*. 

Hamad  Aga  Dinkaue,  the  chief  rebel  of  the 
steamer  party,  decided  to  remain  in  Tunguru,  and 
send  the  steamer  on  to  M'swa,  for  it  was  now  certain 
that  the  report  about  Stanley's  arrival  was  false. 
As  I  too,  felt  certain  of  this,  I  determined  to  remain 
in  Tunguru  with  Casati,  it  being  of  no  use  my  going 
on  to  M'swa.  I  communicated  my  intention  to  the 
rebels,  who  said  I  might  do  as  I  pleased. 

After  the  steamer  had  gone  to  M'swa,  taking  the 
rebel  officers  in  her,  the  station  became  more  quiet, 
and  several  people  ventured  to  come  in  and  see  me. 
Suliman  Aga,  who,  I  now  heard  for  the  fii'st  time 


Moslem  Proiestations. 


199 


was  a  brother  of  Fadl  el  MuUa,  came  in  ;  he  com- 
plained bitterly  about  his  treatment  at  the  hands  of 
the  rebels,  and  was  loud  in  his  protestations  of 
loyalty  to  the  Mudir,  and  friendship  for  me.  I 
listened  to  it  all  with  impatience,  for  I  was  getting 
so  sick  of  all  the  Moslem  trash  these  people  poured 
out  so  volubly,  while  they  were  plotting  against  one 
the  whole  time. 

Every  other  man  who  came  to  see  me  assured  me 
that  he  was  my  devoted  friend  and  faithful  servant, 
that  everything  in  his  house  was  mine,  and  I  only 
had  to  command,  that  I  might  put  my  foot  on  his 
neck,  and  that  if  necessary  he  would  carry  me  on 
his  head.  They  generally  ended  by  asking  me  to 
slit  their  tongues  or  cut  their  throats  if  they  were 
not  speaking  the  truth.  The  most  insulting  thing  was 
that  they  supposed  such  trash  imposed  on  people. 

Abdullah  Vaab  Effendi  also  came  in  to  see  me, 
and  brought  me  three  wax  candles  he  had  made  for 
me  by  way  of  showing  how  devoted  he  was.  He 
talked  a  good  deal  about  routes,  etc.,  to  be  adopted 
when  Stanley  returned,  and  seemed  to  be  very 
anxious  to  get  out  of  the  country. 

This  rebellion  had  been  chiefly  got  up  by  the 
Egyptians,  and  now  when  they  saw  that  the 
Soudanese  had,  so  to  speak,  taken  the  bit  between 
their  teeth,  and  were  likely  to  plunge  the  whole 
Province  into  confusion  and  ruin,  they  were  fright- 
ened at  the  storm  they  had  raised  and  wished  to  cry 
off. 

They  had  for  a  long  time  been  whispering  sedition 
and  treason  into  the  ears  of  the  Soudanese,  who  are 
a  people  slow  to  take  in  ideas,  and  slower  still  to 
act  on  them;  but  when  once  ideas  take  hold,  and 


200 


Emm  Pasha. 


the  cumbersome  machinery  of  their  brains  has  im- 
pelled them  at  length  to  act,  they  will  go  to  any 
extremes  in  an  utterly  unreasoning,  mad-bull  kind  of 
way,  and  it  is  useless  to  attempt  to  stop  them.  When 
once  they  have  got  an  idea  into  their  heads  it  is 
perfectly  impossible  to  eradicate  it. 

The  people  who  did  most  raischiaf  in  the  Province 
were  the  Egyptian  clerks.  They  had  just  a  little 
education,  and  could  read  and  write,  which  gave  them 
an  immense  ascendency  over  the  more  ignorant  Sou- 
danese. Yet  these  Egyptians  had  not  sufficient 
education  to  use  that  power  properly,  but  used  it  only 
for  the  vilest  ends. 

The  Soudanese,  on  the  other  hand,  whilst  allowingr 
themselves  to  be  influenced  by  the  Egyptians,  never- 
theless hated  them  for  it,  and  despised  'them  for 
their  utter  worthlessness  and  want  of  courage. 
The  Egyptians  then  having  at  length  moved  the 
Soudanese  to  violence,  were  afraid  of  what  they 
had  done,  and  wished  to  avail  themselves  of  our 
escort  to  get  them  out  of  the  trouble  which  they 
themselves  had  brought  about.  The  Soudanese 
had  now  turned  against  them,  and  they  had  es- 
tranged themselves  from  the  Mudir  by  their  dis- 
loyalty ;  so  they  had  fallen  between  two  stools, 
and  felt  by  no  means  comfortable  in  that  position. 
I  had  no  pity  for  them,  and  hoped  the  Soudanese 
would  take  the  opportunity  of  paying  off  several  old 
scores. 

We  heard  that  the  steamer  was  expected  back 
from  M'swa  three  days  after  her  departure  from 
here,  but  I  thought  this  very  unlikely,  for  that  would 
mean  staying  only  one  day  at  M'swa,  and  I  knew  the 


Shukri  Agds  Rnse. 


20I 


rebels  never  left  a  station  till  they  had  finished  all 
the  drink,  after  which  they  started  off  for  "  fresh 
fields  and  pastures  new."  "Whilst  waiting  for  the 
return  of  the  steamer  fi'om  M'swa,  Casati  and  I  were 
often  together.  He  used  to  tell  me  about  his  experi- 
ences in  Unyoro,  and  of  the  time  he  spent  in  Mon- 
buttu.  I  was  able  to  get  many  new  facts  about 
the  dwarfs  from  him.  There  are  great  numbers  of 
these  little  people  in  Monbuttu  and  the  surrounding 
countries,  and  he  had  often  come  in  contact  with  them. 

Five  days  after  her  departure  from  here,  the 
steamer  returned,  bringing  in  her  the  rebel  ofiicers, 
further  recruited  by  two  oflBcers  from  M'swa.  The 
clerk  of  IM'swa  station  came  as  well,  and  on  arriving 
paid  me  a  visit.  He  was  returning  to  M'swa  the  next 
day,  and  had  come  over  ostensibly  to  bu}^  some  cattle, 
but  in  reality  he  had  come  to  report  to  me  how 
things  were  going  on  there,  and  to  give  me  a  message 
from  Shukri  Aga. 

Shukri  Aga,  it  appeared,  on  hearing  that  the  rebel 
officers  were  coming  to  M'swa,  decided  to  leave  the 
station  under  the  pretence  of  going  out  to  collect  the 
grain  tax,  and  told  his  clerk  to  let  him  know  when 
'the  rebels  had  gone.  He  sent  a  message  to  say  that 
he  thought  this  was  the  best  way  of  getting  out  of 
the  difficulty,  for  he  did  not  want  to  offend  the  rebels, 
as  in  such  a  case  they  would  remove  him  from  his 
post,  and  put  some  rebel  in  his  place,  thus  cutting  off 
all  chance  of  being  able  to  communicate  with  Stanley 
when  he  should  eventually  arrive. 

This  was  very  sharp  of  him  ;  I  may  add  here  that 
he  managed  to  stick  to  his  post  during  the  whole  re- 
bellion, remaining  unswervingly  loyal  to  the  Mudir. 


202 


Emm  Pasha. 


The  rebels,  not  suspecting  Shukri  Aga's  trick,  had 
left  him  in  command  of  his  station,  but  had  brought 
away  with  them  the  thirty-one  boxes  of  Remington 
ammunition  we  had  brought  as  a  first  instalment  of 
relief  to  Emin,  and  which  had  been  placed  in  the 
magazine  at  M'swa.  The  clerk  told  me  they  had  also 
taken  two  boxes  of  Winchester  ammunition,  which 
Stanley  had  left  in  Emin's  charge,  and  these  belonged 
to  us.  Shukri  Aga,  he  said,  still  believed  it  was 
Stanley  who  had  arrived,  but  it  was  now  thirty  days 
since  the  news  had  first  reached  him,  and  as  there 
had  been  no  letter  or  further  confirmation  of  the 
report,  I  was  convinced  it  was  false. 

In  the  evening  I  went  round  to  the  rebel  officers, 
and  told  them  I  had  heard  they  had  brought  two 
boxes  of  Winchester  ammunition  Avith  them,  and  re- 
quested them  to  give  them  up  to  me  as  they  belonged 
to  the  Expedition.  At  first  they  refused,  but  I  insisted, 
and  going  over  myself  to  the  store-house,  had  them 
taken  out.  When  it  was  dark,  I  sent  them  over  to 
Casati's  house,  where  they  were  to  remain  tUl  I  wanted 
them. 

On  September  the  18th,  we  left  Tunguru  with  the 
two  steamers,  and  arrived  at  Wadelai  that  same 
night.  We  brought  down  with  us  a  good  many 
officers  and  clerks  from  Tunguru,  including  Suliman 
Aga.  Casati  had  told  Achmet  Aga  Dinkaue  he 
wished  to  go  down  to  Dufile,  who  gave  him  permis- 
sion ;  he  therefore  accompanied  us  also. 

On  arriving  at  Wadelai  I  went  to  the  Governor's 
compound,  Casati  going  to  stay  in  Marco's  house. 

I  was  extremely  sorry  to  find  Signor  Marco  had 
not  sent  off  my  letter  to    the    Pasha.     He  said 


Huts  on  Fire. 


that  things  had  been  so  unsettled  in  the  station, 
and  he  had  so  constantly  been  threatened  by  people 
for  being  friendly  to  the  Mudir,  that  he  had  not 
dared  to  send  the  letter  for  fear  of  its  being  dis- 
covered, in  which  case  he  would  have  probably  been 
put  in  prison, 

Emin  must  have  been  in  a  terrible  state  of 
anxiety  at  getting  no  news  from  me,  for  I  had  been 
away  from  him  just  three  weeks,  and  I  had  promised 
emphatically  to  write  to  him.  I  could  well  imagine 
his  wondering  what  had  become  of  me  and  whether 
Stanley  had  really  arrived  or  not. 

As  usual,  the  rebel  officers  on  arriving  had  a  big 
carousal.  Kodi  Aga,  on  leaving  the  station  had 
ordered  quantities  of  beer  and  whiskey  to  be  made 
ready,  and  numbers  of  large  crocks  of  beer,  and  jars 
of  whiskey  were  awaiting  them  on  their  return. 

They  were  all  sitting  drinking  in  a  hut  in  the 
afternoon,  and  as  they  became  more  drunken,  they 
became  also  more  careless ;  the  consequence  was, 
that  in  lighting  his  pipe,  one  of  them  set  the  hut  on 
fire.  Being  made  only  of  grass  and  bamboo 
it  quickly  flared  up,  and  several  adjoining  huts 
were  burnt  down  before  the  fire  could  be  got  under. 
A  year  before  this,  the  whole  station  of  Wadelai  had 
been  burnt  down,  and  vast  stores  of  ivory  were 
destroyed.  The  soldiers,  remembering  this  fire, 
were  fortunately  quickly  on  the  spot  when  the  alarm 
was  given,  and  put  it  out  before  it  had  spread  much  ; 
I  heard  they  had  thrown  some  of  Kodi  Aga's  pots  of 
beer  on  the  flames,  which  were  chiefly  instrumental 
in  putting  the  fire  out ;  this  seemed  to  me  a  sort  of 
satire. 


204 


Emin  Pasha. 


Several  Egyptian,  Coptic,  and  Negro  women 
came  in  to  make  their  salaams  to  me,  and  to  beg  me 
to  convey  their  salutations  to  their  Mudir,  whom  they 
prayed  Allah  would  soon  deliver  from  the  hands  of 
the  rebels.  They  were  all  beautifully  dressed  in 
white  robes,  and  looked  very  picturesque. 

One  old  negress,  Hadji  Fatma  by  name,  wrinkled 
and  ugly,  came  in  to  see  me  ;  she  was  a  regular  old 
character,  and  made  me  laugh  when  she  tried  to 
pump  up  some  tears  on  the  Pasha's  account. 

Emin's  servants  looked  after  me  very  well,  and 
gave  me  tremendously  smart  meals ;  they  tried  to 
show  their  sympathy  for  our  troubles  by  stuffing  me. 

At  early  breakfast,  seven  o'clock,  they  brought  in  an 
omelet,  a  dish  of  honey,  hot  bread  and  milk,  and  a 
plate  full  of  green  Indian  corn  roasted  to  perfection. 
At  luncheon  and  dinner,  they  brought  in  all  sorts  of 
dishes,  with  the  delightful  accompaniment  of  salad 
and  tomatos  from  Emin's  garden  ;  the  usual  cups  of 
Arab  coffee  being  served  after  every  meal.  Un- 
fortunately I  had  not  much  appetite  for  all  these 
African  dainties,  for  I  dreaded  to  hear  that  some- 
thing had  happened  to  Emin  during  my  absence, 
and  I  was  full  of  apprehension  when  I  thought  what 
was  likely  to  be  the  result  of  the  sitting  of  the 
council.  I  had  found  Wadelai  very  unsettled  on  my 
return  and  I  feared  things  were  indeed  looking  black 
for  Emin,  the  soldiers  seemed  quite  to  have 
forgotten  their  resentment  against  the  Dufile  people, 
and  received  them  quite  amicably. 

Before  leaving,  Farida  came  to  say  good-bye  to 
me,  and  taking  off  a  necklace  of  beads  handed 
it  to  me,  telling  me  to  give  it  to  her  Baba. 
She  had  heard  that  the  people  in  Dufile,  did  not  give 


Farida.  205 

him  much  to  eat,  so  I  was  to  take  him  these  beads, 
and  tell  him  to  buy  chickens  with  it.  Poor  little  thing  ! 
what  European  child  of  four  years  of  age  would  have 
thought  of  such  a  thing  ? 


FAEIDA  AND  THE  NECKLACE. 


"We  left  Wadelai  very  early,  intending  to  reach 
Dufile,  if  possible,  the  same  day,  but  as  usual  the 
wood  ran  short,  and  we  had  to  tie  up  against  the 
bank  for  the  night. 

The  steamer  was  fearfully  crowded,  the  general 


2o6 


Emin  Pasha, 


filth  and  stuffiness  increased  to  such  a  degree,  that 
it  was  almost  impossible  to  breathe.  Numbers  of 
people  from  Wadelai  and  Tunguru — all  the  scum  of 
the  Province — were  coming  down  to  Dufile  with  their 
women,  slaves  and  loads;  numbers  of  sheep  and  goats, 
chickens,  and  even  rabbits  were  huddled  together 
amongst  them,  and  smelt  horribly. 

A  good  many  of  the  officers  were  drunk  on  start- 
ing, and  most  of  them  became  so  before  long,  for 
they  were  drinking  throughout  the  whole  day.  When 
anything  had  to  be  done  on  board,  everyone  started 
up,  and  each  shouted  out  a  different  order  at  the  top 
of  his  voice.  The  result  was  general  chaos  and  con- 
fusion, and  a  lot  of  time  was  wasted.  That  day's 
voyage  far  surpassed  all  the  others,  it  was  like  a  bad 
dream.  When  I  looked  round  me  at  the  different 
faces,  some  bestial  and  sullen,  some  treacherous,  and 
crafty,  and  nearly  all  bad,  I  thought  I  had  never 
seen  a  worse  looking  lot  of  ruffianly  cut-throats. 

And  these  men  were  to  be  Emin's  judges,  these 
men  had  us  in  their  power,  and  were  to  pass  sentence 
upon  us  !  What  was  likely  to  be  our  fate  in  such 
hands  !    I  could  only  ejaculate,  "  Heaven  help  us  !  " 

We  reached  Dufile  at  about  one  o'clock  the  next  day, 
and  found  that  the  small  steamer — the  Nyanza — had 
passed  us  during  the  night,  and  had  reached  the 
station  by  daylight,  so  that  Emin  knew  of  our  coming. 
There  was  a  tremendous  crowd  down  at  the  wharf  to 
see  us  arrive,  for  a  great  number  of  people,  officers, 
and  clerks,  had  come  in  from  the  northern  stations 
to  attend  the  Council.  The  station  was  full  of  people, 
a  d  numbers  had  to  be  accommodated  in  the  Madi 
villages  outside. 


/  rejoin  Eviin. 


207 


Fadl  el  Mulla,  Ali  Aga  Djabor,  and  the  chief  rebels 
stood  in  a  sfroup  on  one  side  listening-  to  the  verbal 
report  which  Achmet  Aga  Dinkaue  hastened  to  make. 
Casati  went  up  to"  speak  to  them,  but  I  merely  bowed 
as  I  passed.  As  [  hurried  along  to  Emin's  compound, 
several  people  came  forward  to  greet  me,  among 
them  one  of  Emin's  orderlies.  Eagerly  I  asked  him 
"How  is  the  Mudir?"  and  on  being  assured  he 
was  well  and  unliarmed,  I  passed  on  with  a  sigh  of 
relief. 

As  I  reached  Emin's  compound,  one  of  the  sentries 
placed  himself  in  front  of  the  entrance,  and  told  me 
that  by  the  rebels'  orders  I  was  no  longer  to  occupy 
the  same  compound  as  the  Mudir.  In  a  fit  of  indig- 
nation I  seized  the  sentry  by  the  collar,  and  flung 
him  on  the  ground.  Curiously  enough,  the  other 
seven  sentries  merely  stood  staring  at  me  in  utter 
astonishment,  and  made  no  effort  to  move,  and  I 
passed  in  without  further  opposition. 

I  found  the  Pasha  looking  fairly  well,  and  he 
seemed  glad  to  see  me  back  again.  He  told  me  when 
I  was  away,  the  time  had  gone  terribly  slowly,  he  had 
no  one  to  speak  to,  except  Vita  Hassan,  no  books  to 
read,  and  had  been  able  to  get  hardly  any  news  from 
the  outside.  During  my  absence,  the  rebels— except 
that  they  had  always  been  drinking  and  fighting — 
had  been  fairly  Avell  behaved,  and  had  not  committed 
any  ^'iolence.  He  said  as  time  went  on,  he  had  felt 
certain  that  the  news  of  Stanley's  arrival  was  false, 
and  he  was  much  touched  when  I  told  him  that  Casati, 
on  hearing  he  was  a  prisoner,  had  at  once  decided 
that  he  would  go  down  to  Dufile  to  be  with  him,  and 
help  him  if  possible. 


1 


2o8  Emin  Pasha. 

He  was  very  indignant  when  I  told  him  about  the 
rebels  having  searched  Vita's  house,  and  taken  some 
of  his  things ;  he  seemed  to  think  that  this  was  prob- 
ably only  the  beginning  of  a  long  series  of  such  out- 
rages on  the  part  of  the  rebel  chiefs. 

He  had  heard  that  Achmet  Aga  Dinkaue  had 
written  down  from  Wadelai,  to  request  permission  to 
search  his  house  also,  but  Fadl  el  MuUa  had  refused 
to  allow  it.  I  further  learnt  that  the  reason  why  they 
had  received  the  order  to  search  Vita's  house,  was 
because  the  store-keeper  at  Wadelai  had  told  the  rebels 
he  was  sure  that  Vita  and  the  Mudir  had  secreted 
Grovernment  property  in  their  houses. 

This  was  the  man  who  had  wept  when  I  told  him 
and  Marco  the  story  of  the  Pasha's  imprisonment  ! 
Truly  it  is  impossible  to  trust  Orientals,  especially  if 
they  are  Egyptians  !  1  was  sorry  to  hear  that  the 
Kirri  clerk,  who  was  a  very  good  little  fellow,  had  been 
carried  off  by  a  crocodile  while  bathing  in  the  river. 
A  large  crocodile  had  been  noticed  for  many  weeks 
lurking  about  near  the  bathing-place,  and  had  already 
carried  off  three  or  four  children.  The  Bari  crocodile 
hunters  had  therefore  been  sent  for,  and  they  had  cap- 
tured it.  It  was  so  large  and  strong,  that  they  were 
unable  to  drag  it  out  of  the  water  alive,  but  the  soldiers 
had  put  several  bullets  into  it,  and  eventually  they 
landed  it.  It  measured  over  twenty  feet  six  inches,  and 
was  the  largest  crocodile  on  record  in  the  Pro^•ince. 
It  was  dragged  through  the  station  in  triumph  to  the 
Kirri  clerk's  house,  where  its  stomach  was  cut  open, 
and  found  to  contain  one  of  his  legs.  This  was 
wrapped  in  cotton,  and  laid  before  the  widow,  which, 
was  I  thought  rather  a  doubtful  consolation  !  The 


! 


Sad  Fate  of  the  Kirri  Clerk. 


I 

209 


leg  was  finally  carried  in  solemn  procession,  and 
buried  outside  the  station. 

Casati  came  in  after  a  while  and  took  up  his 
abode  in  a  hut  that  was  used  as  a  store-house  in 
Erain's  compound;  so,  at  any  rate,  we  now  had 
another  companion. 


i 


1 


CHAPTER  IX. 


THE   REBEL  COUNCIL. 

Fadl  el  Mulla  opens  proceedings — Accusations  brought  against 
Emin — The  first  day's  proceedings  close — Indictment  against  the 
Governor — Sij;ning  of  Emiu's  deposition — What  is  to  be  done 
with  the  Mudir  1 — Emin  longs  for  a  glimpse  of  trees — -The  case 
of  Hawashi  Etfendi — Fury  of  the  people  against  him — Accusa- 
tions proved — Spoliation  of  Hawashi  s  property — Osman  Latif 
— Khedive's  letter  credited — Emin  to  be  sent  to  Rejaf  — 
Suspense — Books — Quarrels  among  the  rebels — Binza's  wife's 
liead  is  too  hard — Flogging  of  women — Visit  to  Osman  Latif — 
General  desertion  to  the  rebels — Emin's  disappointment — 
General  discontent  of  the  soldiers — Emin  makes  his  will — 
Letter  from  Osman  Latif — Plans  made  by  the  rebels — Trial  of 
Vita  Hassan — Vita  Hassan  questions  me — Inability  of  the 
people  to  help  themselves — A  pretentious  people — Emin's  house 
looted — Spirit  of  "  laisser  /aire  "  in  the  Province. 

On  September  24th,  the  Council  began  to  sit.  It 
was  composed  of  between  sixty  and  seventy  officers, 
clerks,  and  employes  from  every  station  in  the 
Province.  Most  of  the  officers  were  Soudanese,  but 
the  clerks  were  chiefly  Egyptians,  Copts,  and  Khar- 
toum people  or  half-breeds. 

The  Council  met  under  the  trees  in  the  middle  of 
the  square,  and  a  sort  of  divan  was  formed  by  seats 
being  placed  upon  the  raised  platform  of  which  I 
have  before  spoken.  On  these  were  seated  the 
principal  members  of  the  Council,  while  the  lesser 
members  found  places  on  a  large  semi-circle  of  seats 
below  the  platform.    Beyond  these  were  drawn  up 


Openincr  of  the  Council. 


2  I  I 


the  non-commissioned  officers,  who  were  not  con- 
sidered members  of  the  Council,  but  who  were 
occasionally  appealed  to  by  their  officers. 

The  whole  of  the  large  square  was  crowded  with 
people,  who  pressed  round  the  outer  circle  to  hear 
the  proceedings.  A  non-commissioned  officer,  and 
a  large  number  of  sentries  were  always  on  duty  to 
bring  up  the  witnesses  and  to  keep  order. 

The  first  meeting  lasted  from  eight  in  the 
morning,  till  four  in  the  afternoon,  but  afterwards 
these  sittings  generally  lasted  from  eight  till 
one. 

On  opening  proceedings,  Fadl  el  Mulla  stood  up 
and  addressed  the  meeting.  He  said  the  Council 
had  been  called  to  consider  certain  things  concern- 
ing the  Government  which  had  long  given  great 
dissatisfaction  to  the  Khedive's  subjects  in  the 
Province  of  Hatalastiva.  It  was  the  intention  of  the 
Council  to  thoroughly  investigate  everything  con- 
cerning the  Government  since  1885,  and  to  go 
through  all  the  Government  books  and  papers, 
which  had  been  brought  down  from  Wadelai,  the 
seat  of  Government.  Mr.  Stanley  had  arrived 
some  months  before,  and  had  remained  some  time 
with  the  Mudir;  he  had  gone  away  intending  to 
return,  and  had  left  one  of  his  officers  with  the 
Mudir.  Events  had  since  then  transpired  which 
had  proved  that  the  suspicions  they  had  for  some 
time  entertained  concerning  their  Mudir  were 
true.  He  had  been  asked  by  certain  officers  to 
act  on  the  behalf  of  the  Khedive's  subjects  and 
he  had  come  to  Dufile,  and  had  placed  the  Mudir 
and  Mr.  Stanley's  envoy  in  confinement,  there  to 

p  2 


212 


Eniin  Pasha. 


await  the  result  of  the  investigation  now  about  to  be 
held. 

Accusations  on  various  subjects  would  be  brought 
against  His  Excellency  Mehmed  Emin  Pasha,  the 
Mudir  of  Hatalastiva,  against  Hawashi  Effendi,  the 
senior  Bimbashi,  Vita  Hassan  Effendi,  the  Apothe- 
cary, and  certain  other  persons  who  were  suspected 
of  being  in  league  with  the  Mudir.  After  these 
accusations  were  thoroughly  investigated  it  would  be 
for  the  Council  to  pass  sentence  upon  the  offenders 
and  to  then  concert  measures  for  the  future  peace 
and  prosperity  of  the  Province.  He,  Fadl  el  Mulla, 
had  been  requested  to  act  as  president  of  the  Council, 
and  he  had  consented,  his  only  wish  being  for  the 
good  of  the  Province  as  befitted  a  faithful  and  loyal 
servant  of  Effendina. 

Exclamations  of  approval  greeted  this  speech  and 
business  was  then  begun. 

First,  all  the  Government  books  containing  copies 
of  the  Mudir's  letters  to  the  Government  in  Egypt, 
were  gone  through,  the  most  important  of  these 
being  read  out  by  the  chief  clerk.  Much  to  the 
astonishment  of  the  Council,  Emin  had  only  spoken 
in  the  highest  terms  of  his  people.  Some  of  the 
Wadelai  clerks,  about  the  worst  lot  in  the  Province, 
exclaimed  that  they  did  not  believe  these  letters 
were  true  copies  of  the  letters  sent  to  Egypt.  INIany 
of  the  Mudir's  letters  relating  to  the  management 
and  administration  of  the  Province  were  next 
examined  and  discussed,  but  nothing  wrong 
could  be  found  in  them.  Then  the  accounts 
were  carefully  looked  into,  and  Emin's  private 
account  with   the  Government  ;    no  irregularities 


Accusations  against  Emin. 


were  however  to  be  found  there.  Everything 
seemed  business-like,  reguhir,  and  correct. 

Battled  on  these  points,  the  officers  began  to  dis- 
cuss certain  affairs  concerning  the  Mudir.  There 
was,  at  this  time,  at  an  early  stage  of  the  rebellion, 
a  party  for  the  Mudir,  and  these  to  a  certain  extent 
stood  up  for  him  ;  the  result  was  a  war  of  words 
between  the  two  parties,  the  altercation  lasting  till 
late  in  the  afternoon. 

The  proceedings  ended  at  four  o'clock  without  any 
particularly  bad  effect,  or  without  much  having  been 
decided  on,  the  Council  then  broke  up,  and  its  sitting 
adjourned  till  eight  o'clock  the  following  day. 

We  could  hear  in  our  compound  all  that  had  been 
going  on  under  the  trees  outside  ;  it  must  have  been 
very  trying  to  Emin. 

In  the  next  day's  sitting  the  party  against  the 
Mudir,  had  it  all  their  own  way.  It  opened  by  an 
excited  and  impassioned  address  from  the  clerks,  who 
inveighed  against  their  Governor  in  the  strongest 
terms,  and  accused  him  of  all  sorts  of  crimes.  The}" 
then  requested  to  be  allowed  to  read  the  indictment 
they  had  written  against  the  Mudir,  in  which  all  his 
offences  were  set  down,  thirty-seven  accusations  in  all. 
Permission  was  granted,  and  it  was  read  out. 

First.  The  brevet whichhe said  hehad  received  from 
the  Khedive,  conferring  upon  him  the  rank  of  Pasha 
was  a  forgery  ;  he  was  no  Pasha,  but  only  a  Bey  made 
by  Gordon.  Second.  The  letters  which  were  written  in 
the  Government  book  in  which  the  Mudir  had  spoken 
in  praise  of  his  people,  and  of  their  beha\'iour  in  the 
Mahdi  war,  which  were  supposed  to  be  copies  of  letters 
sent  to  Egypt,  were  only  a  blind  ;  no  such  letters  had 


Emin  Pasha. 


ever  been  sent  to  Egypt.  Third.  The  letters  Stanley 
had  brought,  as  coming  from  the  Khedive  and  Nubar 
Pasha  were  forgeries.  Fourth.  That  Stanley  had 
not  come  from  Egypt,  as  the  Mudir  pretended,  but 
that  he  was  only  an  impostor  and  adventurer. 
Fifth.  That  the  Mudir  had  conspired  with  Stanley 
to  take  the  people  out  of  the  country  against  their 
will,  and  hand  them  over  as  slaves  to  the  English. 
Sixth.  That  the  Mudir  had  made  a  plot  with 
Keremallah,  the  Mahdi's  general,  five  years  before 
to  deliver  the  people,  with  their  wives  and  chil- 
dren, over  to  the  Mahdi.  Seventh.  That  the  Mudir 
had  upheld  Hawashi  Eifendi  in  all  he  did,  and  bene- 
fited by  his  robberies.  Eight.  That  Emin  with 
Vita  Hassan,  had  four  years  before  poisoned  the 
Major  of  the  1st  Battalion,  etc.  etc. 

The  rest  of  the  accusations  referred  chiefly  to  ne- 
glect of,  and  injustice  to,  his  people,  of  favouritism, 
and  the  taking  of  presents.  All  of  these  accusations 
were  equally  outrageous  and  absurd. 

After  the  reading  of  this  indictment  was  finished 
the  clerks  again  addressed  the  assembly,  and  assured 
the  people  that  they  would  prove  every  one  of  those 
accusations.  They  then  demanded  the  instant  depo- 
sition of  the  Mudir,  and  produced  the  document,  in 
which  it  was  stated  the  Mudir  was  deposed  on  account 
of  disloyalty  to  the  Khedive,  and  treachery  to  the 
people,  and  peremptorily  told  the  officers  assembled 
to  sign  it. 

They  were  so  staggered  by  the  accusations  against 
the  Mudir,  and  by  the  vehemence  of  the  clerks  in  de- 
claring they  could  prove  everyaccusation  they  brought 
forward,  that  Fadl  el  ]\Iulla  meekly  signed  it,  and  his 


Emin  deposed. 


215 


example  was  followed  by  all  the  rest  of  tlie  rebel 
officers.  There  were  a  few  who  did  not  wish  to  put 
their  seals  to  it,  but  they  were  so  threatened  and 
stormed  at  by  the  rest,  that  after  making  a  very 
feeble  resistance  they  gave  in.  As  I  have  said  before, 
if  the  Soudanese  are  only  stormed  at  with  sufficient 
energy,  and  obstinacy  they  nearly  always  give  in 
eventually. 

In  the  evening  a  letter  was  sent  in  to  the  Pasha, 
informing  him  that  by  the  wish  of  his  people  he  was 
deposed,  and  no  longer  held  any  appointment  in 
the  Province.  He  was  ordered  to  put  his  signature 
to  this.  I  entreated  him  not  to  sign  it,  for  by  doing 
so  he  would  be  giving  himself  away  entirely.  How- 
ever he  said  he  thought  he  must,  and  that  anything 
signed  under  such  circumstances  could  never  be  con- 
sidered binding.  Casati  was  also  asked  what  he 
thought,  and  he  said  the  Mudir  must  give  in  to 
force  mnjeur."  So  Emin  put  his  signature  to  the 
document. 

It  then  became  the  question  among  the  rebels  to 
decide  what  was  to  be  done  with  the  Mudir.  Should 
he  be  kept  a  prisoner  here  in  Dufile,  should  he  be  sent 
down  to  Rejaf  ;  to  Kirri  ;  or  where  ?  I  heard  that 
it  was  even  whispered  among  the  worst  rebels  that 
he  had  better  be  executed.  It  was  a  subject  upon 
which  the  rebels  could  come  to  no  conclusion,  though 
they  were  for  ever  talking  about  it,  and  discussing  it 
from  every  side  and  every  point. 

The  subject  of  what  to  do  with  the  Mudir  was 
constantly  put  aside,  and  other  subjects  brought  up 
for  discussion,  but  as  constantly  the  rebels  returned 
to  the  same  question,  and  were  never  able  to  decide  it. 


Eniin  Pasha. 


Casati  and  I  were  both  called  several  times  before 
the  Council,  and  questioned  upon  different  subjects, 
and  when  anything  very  outrageous  was  decided  on, 
Casati  often  spoke  against  it,  and  sometimes  with 
good  effect.  I,  of  course,  in  my  character  of  prisoner 
and  envoy  of  Stanley,  had  no  voice  in  the  Council. 

It  was  curious,  that  while  these  people  were 
proposing  the  most  diabolical  plots  of  cruelty,  robbery, 
and  disorder,  they  still  clung  to  a  semblance  of 
decency  and  order,  and  tried  to  justify  each  other 
in  what  they  were  doing.  People  may  not  be  able 
to  understand  this  strange  combination.  I  can  only 
say  it  was  so. 

During  those  days  of  our  imprisonment,  cooped  up 
in  a  small  yard,  closed  in  by  a  high  thick  boma,  and 
surrounded  by  a  noisy  station,  Emin  longed  for  a 
glimpse  of  trees,  and  green  grass  once  more.  I  dis- 
covered that  by  standing  on  a  chair,  we  could  just 
see  a  small  patch  of  green  grass  with  five  or  six 
Borassus  palms  growing  on  it,  about  a  mile  or  so 
from  the  station.  We  used,  therefore,  frequently  to 
mount  on  our  chairs,  and  stand  gazing  at  this  small 
picture. 

After  a  few  days  the  case  of  Hawashi  Effendi  came 
on,  and  he  was  brought  before  the  Council  and  tried. 
This  case  created  great  interest,  for  Hawashi  Effendi 
was  so  hated  by  all,  that  everyone  was  eager  to  see 
his  downfall  and  humiliation.  He  was,  moreover, 
known  to  be  very  rich,  that  is,  rich  for  Hatalastiva, 
and  everyone  was  eager  to  get  a  share  in  the  general 
spoliation  of  his  property.  The  downfall  of  their 
enemy,  and  the  plucking  of  such  a  pigeon,  had  for 
everyone  the  greatest  possible  attraction. 


Trial  of  Hawashi  Effencii. 


I  had  that  morning  been  called  on  to  attend  the 
Council,  for  there  were  some  questions  the  rebels  re- 
quired me  to  answer,  and  they  told  me  also  that  they 
wished  me  to  be  present  when  HaAvashi  Effendi  was 
called. 

In  the  course  of  the  morning,  Hawashi  Effendi 
was  brought  before  them.  As  he  crossed  the  square 
guarded  by  sentries,  shouts  and  execrations  arose 
among  the  people,  and  the  face  of  every  man, 
woman,  and  child,  expressed  hatred  and  contempt. 
It  reminded  me  of  Macaulay's  lines, — 

"  But  when  the  face  of  Sextus 
Was  seen  among  the  foes  ; 
A  yell  that  rent  the  firmament 
From  all  the  town  arose. 

On  the  housetop  was  no  woman 
But  spat  towards  him  and  hissed, 

No  child  but  screamed  out  curses 
And  shook  his  little  fist." 

Laijit  of  Ancient  Rome. 

He  looked  fearfully  ill  and  worn,  and  had  a 
broken-spirited  look,  which,  however  worthless  I  knew 
him  to  be,  went  to  my  heart.  It  was  painful  to  see 
a  man  who  had  been  a  power  in  the  Province,  and 
had  filled  a  high  place,  so  beaten  down,  and  in  such 
a  position.  He  was  always  thin,  but  now  he  looked  a 
perfect  skeleton.  He  was  nearly  seventy  years  old, 
and  his  downfall  and  imprisonment  had  told  on  him. 

The  chief  clerk  read  the  indictment  against  him, 
which  contained  a  great  number  of  accusations  for 
having  acquired  goods,  money,  women,  slaves,  cattle, 
etc.,  by  unlawful  means.  Whilst  listening  to  the 
reading  of  this  indictment  loud  murmurs  were  heard 
from  all  sides,  and  when  it  was  finished  a  storm  of 


2 1 8  Emin  Pasha. 

• 

abuse  was  hurled  at  Hawashi  Effendi,  every  one 
seemed  to  have  something  against  him,  and  some 
insulting  epithet  to  throw  at  him.  He  was  com- 
paratively unmoved  by  the  outburst,  and  merely 
shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  turned  the  palms  of  his 
hands,  in  true  Egyptian  manner,  towards  the  people. 
Numbers  of  witnesses  came  up  to  bring  accusations, 
most  of  which  were  proved  against  him  ; — a  long  line 
of  them,  which  seemed  as  if  it  was  never  going  to 
end. 

Fadl  el  Mulla  then  told  him  that  the  accusations 
had  been  mostly  proved  against  him,  and  it  was  clear 
that  he  had  not  only  robbed  the  living,  but  the  dead. 
The  Council  decided  that  all  his  goods,  money,  cattle, 
goats,  etc.,  should  be  confiscated,  and  that  such 
women  and  slaves  as  he  had  taken  unlawfully  from 
the  people  should  be  returned  to  their  rightful  owners. 

He  gave  an  order  to  an  officer  to  take  a  party  of 
soldiers,  and  bring  all  Hawashi  Effendi's  money  and 
goods  before  the  Council. 

This  order  was  obeyed  with  alacrity ;  for  anything 
approaching  looting  suited  the  Soudanese  soldiers 
exactly. 

Soon  they  returned  from  his  compound  bearing 
numbers  of  boxes,  containing  clothes,  etc.  Tables, 
chairs,  beds,  cooking-pots,  great  jars  of  oil,  honey, 
and  butter,  and  an  indescribable  mass  of  things  were 
brought  out  and  deposited  before  the  Council.  He  was 
known  to  have  a  great  deal  of  money,  but  only  400 
dollars  had  been  found  in  his  house.  On  being  asked 
where  the  rest  was,  he  said  that  was  all  he  had. 

With  a  look  of  contempt  at  him  Fadl  el  Mulla 
ordered  the  soldiers  to  again  search  Hawashi  Effendi' s 


Hawashi  Effcndi  despoiled.  2 1 9 


compound,  and  to  dig  ujj  the  floors  of  all  his  huts. 
After  a  close  search  400  more  were  found.  The  rebels 
knew  there  was  yet  more  to  come,  and  ordered  a 
search  to  be  made  in  the  villages  of  the  Madi  inter- 
preters. 

After  some  time,  800  more  dollars  were  found  in 
earthen  crocks,  hidden  under  the  mud  floor  of  the 
Madi  chief's  hut.  This  was  all  that  could  be  found 
for  the  present. 

Fadl  el  Mulla  then  turned  to  me  and  told  me  he 
had  heard  that  on  my  arrival  in  Dufile,  Hawashi 
Effendi  had  asked  me  to  take  charge  of  certain 
receipts  for  money  lent  by  him  to  different  people  in 
the  Province.  He  asked  me  whether  this  was  true.  J 
answered  it  was  perfectly  true.  My  answer  caused  a 
good  deal  of  excitement,  and  the  rebels  demanded 
these  papers  from  me.  I  told  them  I  would  give  them 
up  only  if  Hawashi  Eft'endi  wished  me  to  do  so.  He 
shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  said,  "  Yes,  give  them 
up  ;  what  can  I  do  ? "  I  therefore  sent  for  my 
dressing-case,  and  handed  the  bundle  of  receipts  over 
to  Fadl  el  Mulla.  There  was  a  receipt  from  Dr. 
Juncker  for  700  dollars,  and  others  from  different 
people  in  the  Province  to  the  amount  of  600  more. 
The  contents  of  the  boxes  were  then  turned  out  in  the 
square — such  a  medley  as  there  was  !  and  inventories 
were  taken  of  everything.  Two  changes  of  clothes  and 
a  few  cooking-pots  were  returned  to  Hawashi  Effendi 
for  present  use,  all  the  rest  being  deposited  in  the 
Government  store-houses.  Hawashi  Effendi  was  then 
conducted  back  to  his  hut,  and  the  Council  broke  up. 

Fadl  el  Mulla  told  me  I  was  free  to  go  about  the 
station  as  I  pleased,  and  Hamad  Aga  and  Selim  Aga 


2  20 


Emin  Pasha. 


asked  me  to  pay  them  a  visit  the  next  day,  and  in  the 
morning  I  went  round  to  their  compound. 

Here  I  met  for  the  first  time  Osman  Effendi  Latif, 
the  Vakeel,  orsecond  in  command  of  the  Province.  He 
was  an  Egyptian,  formerly  head  of  the  detective  force 
in  Khartoum.  He  had  at  one  time  given  Emin  great 
trouble,  but  since  the  rebellion  had  been  behaving  well. 

He  poured  a  profusion  of  compliments  upon  me,  and 
tried  to  talk  French,  but  he  was  quite  unintelligible 
in  that  language  ;  for  instance,  he  wished  to  say,  "  I 
have  seen  it,"  which  he  rendered  in  French,  "  Je  suis 
les  yeux."  I  took  a  dislike  to  him,  he  was  so 
cringing,  and  servile,  a  true  Egyptian, — though 
I  must  say  he  was  very  useful  to  us  in  sending 
us  information  during  the  rebellion.  He  promised  to 
do  all  he  could  in  the  way  of  keeping  us  au  courant 
with  what  Avas  going  on  in  the  Province.  I  talked 
long  with  Hamad  and  Selim  Aga,  about  things  in 
general,  connected  with  the  rebellion,  and  begged 
them  to  try  and  get  the  Mudir's  place  of  residence 
fixed  for  Wadelai  or  Dufile,  anything  was  better  than 
being  sent  down  to  Rejaf. 

It  appeared  some  days  afterwards  that  the  rebel 
ofiicers  were  not  satisfied  with  the  opinion  of  certain 
of  the  clerks  who  had  given  their  opinion  that  the 
Khedive's  and  Nubar  Pasha's  letters  were  forgeries. 
Abdul  Vaab  Effendi,  who  was  considered  the  best 
scholar  in  the  Province,  and  had  been  in  Egypt  up  to 
the  time  of  Arabi's  rebellion,  and  knew  the  Khedive's 
and  JSTubar's  signatures  well,  had  said  he  should  like  to 
see  the  letters.  Fadl  el  Mull  a  therefore  sent  for  them 
and  Abdul  Vaab  Effendi,  having  examined  them 
before  the  Council,  said  that  there  was  not  the  least 


Khedives  Letter  credited. 


221 


doubt  about  it,  the  letters  were  genuine,  for  he  had 
seen  these  signatures  many  times  in  Egypt.  They 
were  again  examined  by  the  clerks,  who  pronounced 
them  genuine,  and  said  that  after  all,  Stanley  must 
have  come  from  Egypt.  The  Khedive's  letter  was 
then  handed  round,  and  each  officer  kissed  the 
signature,  as  was  the  custom  in  the  country  ;  three 
cheers  being  given  for  the  Khedive.  Still,  however, 
this,  from  their  point  of  view,  was  to  make  no  differ- 
ence in  the  accusations  brought  against  the  Mudir. 

Hawashi  Effendi's  case  was  meantime  progressing. 
Three  hundred  more  dollars  had  been  found  hidden 
away  in  the  roof  of  one  of  his  huts,  making  in  all 
3200  dollars  accounted  for.  Soldiers  had  been  out 
to  take  inventories  of  his  live  stock,  and  it  was  found 
he  had  700  cattle  and  1100  goats  and  sheep  !  These 
had  all  been  obtained  in  raids  made  on  the  natives, 
and  were  to  be  divided  among  the  people,  each 
getting  a  share  according  to  his  rank. 

After  a  great  deal  of  discussion,  Fadl  el  Mulla 
announced  that  at  last  the  Council  had  made  up  its 
mind  to  send  the  Mudir  to  Rejaf  and  give  him  over 
into  the  charge  of  Ali  Aga  Djabor  ;  he  was  one  of  the 
worst  of  the  many  scoundrels  in  the  Province,  and 
it  would  have  gone  badly  with  Emin  had  this 
decision  been  carried  into  execution.  It  was  evident 
as  time  went  on,  that  though  the  Khedive's  letter 
had  apparently  been  accepted  as  being  genuine, 
three-quarters  of  the  people  still  doubted  it.  During 
the  whole  rebellion  it  was  impossible  ever  to 
find  out  what  they  did  or  what  they  did  not  believe, 
or  even  what  they  wanted.  They  made  a  plan  one 
day  only  to  contradict  it  the  next.    In  this  I  consider 


222 


Emin  Pasha. 


lay  our  chief  safety  ;  they  were  ready  enough  to 
make  all  sorts  of  plans  against  Emin,  but  were 
never  able  to  agree  amongst  themselves  how  those 
plans  should  be  carried  out.  It  was  decided  to  leave 
Vita  Hassan  at  Dufile,  but  to  deprive  him  of  his 
position  under  Government.  Hawashi  Effendi  was 
to  be  sent  in  chains  to  Makraka,  but  his  life  was  to 
be  spared.  On  hearing  the  news,  Emin  was  much 
down-cast,  and  though  I  argued  that  this  decision 
would  probably  be  reversed  the  next  day,  or  a  few 
days  after,  he  believed  it  was  final.  At  this  time  he 
gave  way  entirely.  It  was  not,  of  course,  to  be 
wondered  at  after  all  those  years  of  strain ;  still  I 
wished  he  could  have  managed  to  keep  up  appearances 
a  little  more  before  his  people,  on  whom  this  giving 
way  had  a  very  bad  effect. 

I  told  him  the  people  would  go  on  talking  and 
talking  for  weeks  to  come  and  would  settle  nothing  ; 
but  it  was  of  no  use,  the  slightest  ramour  against 
him  was  sufficient  to  plunge  him  into  the  deepest 
dejection.  The  suspense  and  uncertainty,  were 
indeed  terrible,  and  though  I  tried  to  shut  my  eyes  to 
the  graveness  of  the  situation,  in  order  to  cheer  him 
up,  there  were  times  when  even  I,  with  aJl  my 
natural  hopefulness,  could  not  have  been  a  very 
cheerful  companion. 

Fear  he  had  none  ;  such  a  thing  was  not  in  his 
composition.  But  it  was  the  nervousness  from  want 
of  appetite  and  sleep,  which  caused  his  hand  to  shake 
and  made  him  start  at  every  sound. 

We  had  with  us  Royle's  book  on  Egypt,  Cameron's 
Travels,  in  French  ;  half  a  dozen  of  the  Waverley 
novels,  and   Mrs.    Brown  on    Cleopatra's  Needle. 


Osmaii  s  attempted  Suicide. 


223 


Where  on  earth  Emin  got  the  latter  book  from  I 
never  knew  !  These  books,  even  including  Mrs. 
Brown,  we  read  again  and  again  with  the  greatest 
interest.  With  the  exception  of  some  medical  books 
and  a  few  old  Graphics,  these  were  all  we  had.  Those 
Graphics  too  !  How  often  we  looked  over  them,  and 
with  what  extreme  interest  we  read  all  the  advertise- 
ments. Pears'  soap.  Bird's  custard  powder,  and  all 
the  rest  of  them  ! 

At  this  time  Casati  and  I  were  constantly  out  in 
the  station,  doing  all  we  could  to  induce  those 
officers  who  were  friendly  to  Emin,  to  use  their 
influence  on  his  behalf  ;  they  all  promised  to  do  what 
they  could,  but  did  not  dare  to  do  much  openly,  for 
fear  of  being  imprisoned. 

Osman  Latif  behaved  ver}'-  well,  and  had  spoken  to 
all  the  officers  in  terms  of  the  strongest  disapproba- 
tion of  all  they  were  doing,  for  which  he  often  got 
into  serious  difficulty  with  the  rebels.  He  finally 
refused  to  put  his  name  to  a  paper,  containing 
accusations  against  the  Mudir,  and  on  the  rebels 
attempting  to  make  him  sign  it,  he  threw  himself 
into  the  river.  The  rebels  cried  out,  "  Let  him 
perish,  do  not  save  such  carrion,"  but  some  one  fished 
him  out  in  a  boat,  and  he  was  ordered  to  remain  in 
his  house.  This  was  a  great  pity,  for  formerly  he 
had  gone  about  the  station  constantly,  and  had 
smuoforled  in  notes  to  us. 

Fadl  el  Mulla,  in  his  position  of  President  of  the 
Council,  raised  the  ranks  of  several  of  the  rebel 
officers,  and  he  and  Hamad  Aga  were  by  general 
consent  given  the  rank  of  Bey.  All  officers  holding 
positions  in  outlying  stations,  known  to  be  friendly 


224 


Emiii  Pasha. 


to  Emin,  were  called  to  Dufile  and  degraded  ;  officers 
friendly  to  the  rebels  being  put  in  their  places. 

Letters  from  the  rebel  officers  were  constantly  sent 
in  for  Emin's  signature,  to  all  of  which,  by  Casati's 
advice,  he  put  his  name.  Certainly  the  saying 
"  L'appetit  vient  en  mangeant  "  was  true  in  this  case, 
for  these  letters  were  more  and  more  frequent,  and 
became  more  outrageous  in  their  demands. 

The  Council  still  continued  sitting  day  after  day, 
deciding  different  things  about  the  future  govern- 
ment of  the  Province.  The  rebel  officers  were  now 
quarrelling  a  good  deal  among  themselves,  for  there 
was  to  be  a  general  change  in  the  administration,  and 
each  officer  wanted  to  secure  a  good  place  for  himself. 
One  man  didn't  like  his  position  ;  another  objected  to 
the  station  to  which  he  was  sent  ;  one  officer  refused  to 
work  under  some  other  who  was  put  over  him  ;  an- 
other refused  to  work  with  such  and  such  a  man  under 
him.  The  altercations  and  quarrels  were  loud  and 
long,  and  many  violent  scenes  took  place.  Fadl 
el  MuUa  tried  to  please  all,  and  succeeded  in  pleasing 
none.  His  position  was  by  no  means  a  comfortable 
one,  for  he  was  besieged  by  people  putting  forward 
all  sorts  of  claims  for  a  good  place  in  the  new  Govern- 
ment. 

The  rebels  had,  during  the  first  sittings  of  the 
Council,  behaved  with  some  appearance  of  decency, 
but  after  some  time  this  was  thrown  to  the  winds, 
and  disgraceful  scenes  were  of  frequent  occurrence. 

The  afternoons  and  evenings  were  given  over  to 
drunkenness  and  debauchery.  In  these  excited 
moments  the  decisions  to  be  agreed  upon  at  the 
following  day's  Council  were  discussed,  so  that  from 


Binza's  Request. 


225 


day  to  day  our  fate  hung  in  the  balance.  We,  in  our 
compound,  could  hear  them  shouting,  cursing,  and 
quarrelling  among  themselves,  and  we  felt  that  any 
moment  they  might  make  up  their  minds  to  do  some 
violent  deed.  It  will  ever  be  a  mystery  to  me  how 
we  passed  through  that  time  unhurt.  The  Providence 
which  watched  over  us  in  the  forest,  must  have  been 
watching  over  us  still. 

The  soldiers,  seeing  what  was  going  on,  were,  from 
what  we  heard,  exceedingly  mutinous  and  discon- 
tented, and  I  was  assured  by  Selim  Aga  that  the 
feeling  among  them  was  rising  strongly  in  favour  of 
the  Mudir. 

It  was  therefore  Casati's  and  my  endeavour  to  do 
all  we  could  to  foster  and  increase  this  feeling.  "We 
went  to  such  people  as  were  friendly,  and  got  them 
to  speak  whenever  they  could  to  the  soldiers,  but  we 
of  course  had  to  do  this  with  the  greatest  care  and 
caution,  for  all  our  movements,  particularly  mine,  were 
closely  watched. 

At  this  time,  when  things  were  going  very  badly 
with  us,  I  Avas  astonished  by  my  servant  Binza's 
coming  to  me  to  say  he  wished  to  exchange  his 
present  Avife  for  another,  as  he  said  her  head  was  too 
hard. 

"  Good  heavens,  boy  !  "  I  exclaimed,  "  is  this  a 
time  to  be  thinking  of  marrying  and  changing  wives, 
when  at  any  hour  now  the  blow  may  fall  and  the  end 
come  ;  moreover,  you  have  only  bought  your  wife  a 
fortnight  ago." 

"  Yes,  master,"  he  replied,  "  I  know  it  is  no  time 
now  to  be  thinking  of  such  things,  but — but  her  head 
is  .so  ]iard  I  " 

Q 


226 


Emin  Pasha. 


The  stress  lie  laid  upon  the  hardness  of  his  wife's 
head,  and  the  pathetic  tone  of  his  voice  as  he  told  me 
about  it,  sent  me  into  a  fit  of  laughter,  and  I  gave  him 
permission  to  change  her  for  a  wife  with  a  softer  head. 

My  boy  Binza  was  very  useful  to  me,  for  he  was 
well  liked  by  all  the  people,  and  I  used  constantly  to 
send  him  out  on  gossiping  expeditions  in  the  station, 
and  he  was  able  to  tell  me  how  the  feeling  in  the 
Mudir's  favour  was  increasing.  He  told  me  the 
soldiers  constantly  met  in  each  other's  houses,  and 
nearly  all  agreed  how  much  better  things  were  when 
Emin  was  Mudir  ;  they  laughed  a  great  deal  at  the 
idea  of  Fadl  el  Mulla  raising  the  officer's  ranks,  and 
styling  Hamad  Aga,  "  Bey."  Binza  frequently 
brought  me  in  little  notes  from  such  few  friends  as 
we  had  outside,  these  he  concealed  in  his  Taboosh,  or 
clothes,  Emin's  orderlies  were  taken  away  from  him 
by  the  rebels,  and  were  sent  back  to  AYadelai  to  join 
their  Company.  This  did  not  much  matter,  for  I  had 
my  own  three  orderlies,  and  Emin  had  several  ser- 
vants,— it  was  only  another  of  the  petty  humiliations 
which  they  delighted  to  heap  upon  him. 

Things  were  getting  worse  and  worse,  the  rebels 
not  satisfied  with  the  amount  of  the  money  they  had 
discovered  belonging  to  Hawashi  Eifendi,  seized  all 
his  servants  and  women,  and  tying  them  up, 
threatened  to  flog  them  unless  they  confessed  where 
the  rest  of  the  money  was  hidden. 

On  their  saying  they  did  not  know,  a  most  cruel 
scene  took  place  which  lasted  from  early  morning  till 
mid-day.  The  boys  were  alternately  flogged  and 
questioned,  but  nothing  could  be  got  out  of  them  as 
to  where  the  money  was  hidden. 


Wliolesale  flogging  of  Women.  227 

Then  the  women  were  all  flogged,  and  as  the 
courbach  curled  round  their  naked  backs  their  cries 
and  shrieks  were  heartbreaking.  We,  from  our 
compound,  could  hear  it  all  going  on  in  the  square  ;  it 
made  our  blood  boil. 

The  women  confessed  that  there  Avas  a  number  of 
molotes  or  iron  hoes  hidden  underground  in  the 
compound  ;  these  were  unearthed,  and  put  in  the 
Government  store-house.  Molotes  are  the  current 
coin  among  the  natives  in  this  part  of  Africa. 

The  women  were  then  imprisoned  in  two  huts, 
Hawashi  Effendi  being  shut  up  in  a  small  hut  by 
himself.  Casati  went  to  expostulate  with  him,  and 
to  tell  him  it  would  be  better  for  him  to  say  at  once 
where  he  had  hidden  the  rest  of  his  money.  But  he 
refused.  He  was  in  a  great  state  of  excitement, 
he  cursed  the  Mudir,  he  cursed  the  country,  his  fate, 
the  Khedive,  the  Prophet,  and  everything  he  could 
think  of. 

The  spirit  of  robbery  had  evidently  taken  hold 
strongly  of  the  rebel  officers,  for  they  sent  a  letter  to 
the  Pasha,  asking  him  what  money,  ivory,  cloth, 
ammunition,  and  papers  he  had  in  his  house  at 
Wadelai.  It  went  on  to  say  that  unless  he  should 
at  once  hand  over  everything  to  them,  they  would 
send  down  soldiers  to  enter  his  house.  He  answered 
he  had  nothing  belonging  to  Grovernment  in  his 
house. 

The  officers  apparently  not  being  satisfied  with 
this  answer,  decided  to  send  off  a  steamer  with  two 
officers  and  two  clerks  holding  an  order  to  search  the 
Mudir's  house.  Such  officers  and  clerks  as  the  new 
Government  had  taken  from  the  Northern  stations, 

Q  2 


22S 


Emin  Pasha. 


were  also  sent  in  tlie  steamer  to  replace  ttose  in  the 
Southern  stations,  whom  the  rebels  had  removed  on 
account  of  their  being  friendly  to  the  Mudir.  They 
took  with  them  their  families  and  all  their  goods,  and 
chattels.  Casati  was  to  go  down  to  Wadelai  with 
the  rebels  to  be  present  while  Emin's  house  was 
searched.  I  went  to  see  him  off  in  the  morning, 
there  was  a  great  crowd  of  people  on  the  steamer. 


OSMAN  tATIF    iiALinXG   ms  CHILDRE-V. 


and  four  of  the  most  rascally  of  the  clerks  and  officers, 
were  sent  to  search  the  Pasha's  house.  I  went  after- 
wards and  paid  Osman  Latif  a  visit  for  the  first  time 
in  his  house.  I  found  him  seated  on  a  mat  teachinsr 
his  four  little  boys  to  read  and  writs.  His  text-book 
was  the  Koran  from  which  all  Mahomedan  children 
are  taught. 

He  was  very  much  honoured — -so  he  said — by  my 
coming  to  pay  him  a  visit,  and  apologized  most  pro- 


Osman^s  Ideas  of  European  Policy.  229 

fusely  for  not  being  dressed  to  receive  me.  Had  he 
known  I  was  coming,  etc.,  etc. — the  usual  Egyptian 
rubbish. 

He  was  very  loud  in  his  professions  of  regret  and 
anger  about  all  that  was  happening,  and  said  he  was 
constantly  telling  the  people  that  if  they  com- 
mitted outrages  now  they  would  suffer  for  it  here- 
after. He  was  anxious  to  know,  if  the  worst  came  to 
the  worst,  whether  I  thought  England  or  Egypt  would 
send  an  Expedition  to  avenge  these  outrages  ?  I 
answered  possibly  they  might,  which  seemed  to  give 
him  great  satisfaction.  He  said,  "  You  are  an 
Englishman,  the  Mudir  is  a  German,  Casati  is  an 
Italian,  Dr.  Juncker,  who  knows  this  country,  is  a 
Russian.  Now,  as  all  the  nations  of  Europe  are 
friendly  together,  why  do  they  not  combine  to  take 
the  Soudan?  "  I  told  him  they  did  not  want  it.  He 
only  answered  he  knew  the  English  had  destroyed 
Abyssinia,  because  the  king  had  imprisoned  three  or 
four  Englishmen,  and  he  did  not  see  why  it  should 
not  be  done  asrain.  He  beofo-ed  me  to  be  careful  to 
put  down  everything  which  happened  in  the  Province 
in  the  book  in  which  he  heard  I  wrote  every  day. 
Before  going  he  brought  his  old  mother  to  see  me,  a 
wrinkled  old  woman,  who  rather  took  me  aback  by 
imprinting  a  damp  kiss  upon  each  of  my  cheeks. 
She  called  me  her  son,  and  asked  Allah  to  bless  the 
Mudir  and  me. 

The  long  imprisonment  and  ill-treatment  proved 
too  much  for  Hawashi  Effendi's  loyalty,  for  we  heard 
shortly  after  the  general  flogging  of  his  people,  he 
had  sent  a  paper  to  Fadl  el  Mulla,  purporting  to 
be  a  true  account  of  all  the  presents  he  had  given 


230 


Emin  Pasha. 


the  Mudir.  The  list  was  an  immensely  long  one, 
there  were  great  numbers  of  cows,  goats,  sheep, 
money,  women,  and  all  sorts  of  things  in  it.  He  had 
in  reality  only  given  the  Mudir  such  small  presents 
as  all  the  people  did  in  a  friendly  way ;  now  and 
then  some  vegetables,  or  fruit,  and  sometimes  a  jar 
of  honey  ;  or  if  Emin  stayed  a  day,  or  two  in 
passing  through  the  station,  a  goat  or  two. 

Emin,  unlike  most  of  the  governors  in  Egyptian 
employ,  made  it  a  rule,  during  the  whole  time  he  was 
in  the  country,  never  to  take  a  valuable  present 
from  any  one.  Every  person  I  spoke  to  in  the  Pro- 
vince bore  witness  to  that  fact.  But  the  rebels,  being 
unable  to  prove  any  of  the  accusations  they  had 
brought  against  their  Mudir,  were  only  too  ready  to 
try  and  get  any  handle  against  him  which  would 
impose  on  the  people. 

Kismullah,  too,  his  collector  and  prime  favourite, 
turned  against  him  in  the  most  ungrateful  way. 
Emin  had  been  kindness  itself  to  him,  and  had  done 
everything  for  him.  From  all  sides  we  heard  that 
officers  whom  Emin  had  most  trusted  were  going  over 
to  the  rebels. 

I  used  to  feel  a  disgust  and  contempt  for 
these  people  who  had  no  pluck  or  endurance  in  them, 
and  groaned  over  each  fresh  example  of  their 
faithlessness  and  ingratitude.  But,  after  all,  was  it 
quite  just  ?  They  were  at  best  an  ignorant  lot  of 
half -civilized  people  ;  they  saw  the  Mudir' s  chances 
of  ever  getting  his  head  above  water  again  gradually 
growing  less  day  by  day.  Meanwhile  their  ill-treat- 
ment by  the  rebel  officers  was  daily  becoming  more 
unbearable,  they   were    threatened,   insulted,  and 


General  Discontent. 


231 


robbed.  So  to  save  their  wives  and  children,  or 
rather  the  means  of  supporting  them,  they  declared 
for  the  rebels,  and  threw  over  their  Mudir.  They 
admitted  he  had  been  good  to  them,  but  they  all 
shrugged  their  shoulders,  and  said  with  a  deprecatory 
gesture,  "  "What  are  we  to  do  ?  " 

Whenever  any  outrageous  piece  of  ingratitude,  on 
the  part  of  some  person  whom  Emin  had  invariably 
befriended,  came  to  light,  I  alwa^'S  felt  furious,  and 
said  these  people  had  not  one  redeeming  quality ; 
but  are  civilized  people  much  better  in  proportion  ? 
Is  it  not  self-interest  which  governs  savages,  and 
Europeans  alike  ? 

It  was  not  therefore,  perhaps,  to  be  wondered  at 
that  every  day  we  heard  of  fresh  instances  of 
desertion,  of  ingratitude  and  deceit.  But  it  was 
very  sad  to  see  the  disappointed,  down-look  on 
Emin's  face,  when  fresh  instances  of  the  defection, 
one  by  one,  of  his  most  trusted  adherents,  came  to  his 
ears.  He  shook  his  head  sadly,  and  his  eyes  seemed 
to  say,  ''Et  tii,  Brute/  " 

The  soldiers  were  disgusted,  more  because  they  were 
uncomfortable  under  the  new  regime  than  because 
they  liked  their  Governor.  We  heard  all  sorts  of 
rumours  of  their  feeling  against  the  rebels  increasing, 
but  we  could  not  put  much  faith  in  their  help,  a  few 
words  from  the  rebel  officers  being  always  sufficient 
to  evaporate  their  loyalty,  and  all  their  talking  and 
grumbling  only  ended  in  smoke.  There  certainly 
was  one  movement  which  we  hoped  might  turn  out 
well,  but  it,  like  the  rest,  ended  in  nothing. 

Fadl  el  Mulla  and  the  other  officers  had  heard  that 
the  soldiers  had  for  a  long  time  been  discontented, 


232  Emin  Pasha. 

and  grumbled  a  good  deal  at  what  was  going  on. 
Accordingly  one  morning  Fadl  el  Mulla  had  the 
soldiers  mustered,  and  asked  them  what  was  the 
matter.  Five  non-commissioned  officers  stepped  out 
of  the  ranks,  and  told  him  they  did  not  like  the  new 
government,  and  wished  forthe  re-establishment  of  the 
Mudir.  They  were  at  once  seized  and  put  in  prison, 
and  Fadl  el  Mulla,  turning  to  the  soldiers,  said, 
"  You  are  fools  !  When  I  came  here  I  asked  you 
whether  yoii  wished  to  stay  in  the  country  or  be 
taken  away  to  Zanzibar,  and  have  your  wives  and 
children  taken  from  you?  You  said  you  wished 
to  stay  in  the  country  ;  yet  now  you  tell  me  you  want 
the  Pasha,  who  intends  to  do  all  this  against  you, 
for  your  Mudir.    What  do  you  mean  by  it  ?  " 

The  soldiers  at  once  answered,  "  We  wish  to  stay 
here."  So  Fadl  el  Mulla  told  them  to  let  him  hear 
no  more  discontent,  and  dismissed  them.  After  a 
few  hours,  however,  the  soldiers  went  in  a  body  to 
the  rebel  officers,  and  demanded  the  release  of  their 
companions,  saying  that  if  they  were  not  released  at 
once,  they  would  go  and  break  the  prison  down 
and  release  them  by  force.  Their  order  was  in- 
stantly complied  with,  for  the  rebels  felt  they 
could  no  longer  keep  the  soljiiers  in  check.  They 
however  divided  a  good  many  of  Hawashi  Effendi's 
cattle  and  sheep  among  the  people,  and  the  soldiers 
were  once  more  put  in  a  good  temper.  There  were 
many  scenes  of  this  kind,  but  they  ended  in  the  same 
way,  and  nothing  was  done.  Emin  had  been  count- 
ing greatly  upon  a  rising  of  the  soldiers,  and  was 
very  depressed  at  this  termination  of  what  he  thought 
was  sroinof  to  be  a  successful  revolt  in  his  favour. 


Emin  makes  his  Will. 


233 


He  made  u])  his  mind  for  the  worst,  and  sending 
for  two  officers  and  a  priest,  made  his  will,  and 
asked  me,  if  anything  happened  to  him,  to  take  care 
of  the  little  Farida.  He  told  the  officers  and  priest 
that  he  would  sooner  blow  his  brains  out  than  go  to 
Rejaf,  and  that  was  what  he  intended  to  do  if  the 
rebels  used  violence  to  him.  He  further  refused 
to  sign  any  more  papers  that  they  might  send  in  for 
signature.  Even  though  they  had  deposed  him, 
he  was  appointed  Mudir  by  the  Khedive,  and  no  one 
had  power  to  judge  him. 

Less  and  less  food  had  been  sent  in  to  us, 
and  at  last  the  meat  supply  stopped  entirely, 
and  only  a  little  corn,  not  nearly  sufficient  for  the 
household,  was  allowed  us. 

The  following  is  a  translation  of  a  letter  to  Emin, 
from  Osman  Latif  ;  it  is  an  example  of  the  many  notes 
we  got,  telling  us  what  happened  in  the  station  day 
by  day.  From  it,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  soldiers,  in 
spite  of  the  officers'  attempts  to  set  them  against  their 
Governor,  were  not  altogether  against  him  : — 

"  Mr  Benefactor, 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  tell  you  what  your 
servant  has  heard.  The  soldiers,  when  the  officers 
read  them  their  decision  to  put  you  aside,  declared 
unanimously  they  did  not  wish  for  your  deposition. 
They  wished  only  for  the  removal  of  Hawashi 
Effendi,  Ibrahim  Effendi,  and  Abdul  AVahad  Effendi, 
and  wished  you  to  remain  here  to  look  after  them, 
for  that  you  were  their  father  and  mother.  The 
soldiers  are  all  united  in  this  opinion.  When  you 
were  addressed  in  a  letter,  and  were  questioned 


234 


Emin  Pasha. 


about  ivory  and  other  things,  and  answered  the 
rebels,  '  I  am  your  Pasha  and  Mudir,  and  no  one  can 
put  me  under  examination,  except  the  Minister  of  the 
Interior  in  Egypt,'  you  have  done  well,  for  what  you 
said  is  perfectly  true,  and  from  this  moment  they 
have  refrained  from  troubling  you  with  any 
questions.  The  chief  clerk,  Achmet  Effendi  Raif, 
Mustapha  Effendi,  and  others,  who  have  made  them- 
selves chiefs  amongst  the  rebels,  are  very  much 
discomposed,  and  the  council  has  now  become  a 
mere  farce.  They  are  moreover  getting  to  be  afraid 
of  the  soldiers,  and  fear  Mr.  Stanley's  return.  Tell 
Mr.  Jephson  to  go  to  Fadl  el  Mulla,  and  ask  him  to 
let  him  buy  some  of  the  fat-tailed  sheep  from  those 
which  were  taken  from  Hawashi  Effendi,  before  they 
are  all  gone.  I  am  sure  Fadl  el  Mulla  will  give 
Mr.  Jephson  whatever  he  asks.  I  have  heard  the 
rebels  have  decided  to  leave  you  here  in  Dufile,  as 
they  fear  the  soldiers,  and  I  am  to  be  sent  a  prisoner 
to  Lahore,  for  not  having  submitted  to  their 
Grovernment.  But  I  do  not  know  if  this  rumour  is 
true. 

"  AVithout  offence  I  beg  you  to  make  my  best 
compliments  to  Mr.  Jephson.  He  should  be  tranquil 
about  what  happens  ;  for  we  are  all  in  the  hands  of 
God.  I  beg  you  will  send  me  some  few  words, 
for  a  letter  is  half  equal  to  a  personal  interview. 

"  With  every  respect,  I  kiss  your  hands. 

"  OSMAN  EfFEXDI  LaTIF. 

"  Vakeel  of  Hatalastiva." 

As  our  allowance  was  getting  less  and  less,  I  had 
to  go  out  and  buy  meat  from  the  rebels,  or  beg  for  it 


Decisions  of  the  Council. 


235 


from  such  people  as  were  friendly.  Emin  was  very 
much  pained  at  my  having  to  do  so,  but  it  could  not 
be  helped.  There  were  the  Pasha,  myself,  and 
Vita  Hassan,  my  four  servants,  and  Emin's  and 
Vita's  as  well  to  feed,  so  that  the  food  went  very 
quickly. 

Hamad  Aga,  and  Selim  Aga,  were  trying  to 
persuade  the  rest  of  the  rebels  to  evacuate  the 
stations  in  Makraka,  and  all  those  north  of  Dufile, 
and  to  establish  stations  to  the  south,  on  the  site 
of  those  stations  in  Unyoro,  which  had  been 
abandoned  by  Gordon.  This  was  the  measure  Emin 
had  been  trpng  to  carry  out  for  over  three  years, 
and  was  one  of  the  principal  causes  of  the  rebellion 
of  the  1st  Battalion,  who  did  not  wish  to  give  up 
Lado  and  the  Northern  stations,  never  quite  believ- 
ing Khartoum  had  fallen. 

The  people  at  that  time  in  the  Northern  stations 
would  not  hear  of  it  ;  but  now  that  they  had  nearly 
ruined  the  country  about  Rejaf  by  their  constant 
depredations  on  the  natives,  many  of  them  saw  the 
necessity  of  it,  for  food  had  become  scarce  in  that 
part  of  the  country. 

The  greater  part  of  the  rebel  officers  decided  on 
adoptingthis  plan,  but  there  were  some  amongst  them, 
particularly  Ali  Aga  Djabor,  who  would  not  entertain 
the  idea  for  a  moment.  The  President  of  the  Council 
said  it  was  decided  that  stations  should  be  erected  to 
the  south  and  east  at  Magungu,  Fatiko,  M'ruli  and 
most  of  the  other  places  where  stations  had  formerly 
existed  in  Baker's  and  Gordon's  time.  Ali  Aga 
Djabor  was  ordered  to  go  to  Rejaf  and  evacuate  the 
station,  bringing  all  the  people  up  to  the  east,  and  to 


Emin  Pasha. 


commence  building  stations  there.  This  he  refused 
flatly  to  do,  and,  after  a  stormy  discussion,  retired 
to  his  house  in  disgust,  where  he  remained  several 
days  drinking  and  carousing  with  such  of  the  oflBcers 
as  were  against  the  Council's  plan. 

The  people  had  become  completely  demoralized, 
each  had  an  idea  of  his-own,  and  wanted  to  carry  it 
out  ;  nobody,  not  even  the  soldiers,  could  be  depended 
upon  to  obey  orders,  and  all  was  anarchy  and  confu- 
sion. The  steamers  had  been  plying  in  a  desultory 
way,  drafting  clerks  and  officers  to  their  newly  ap- 
pointed positions  ;  but  there  were  constant  complaints 
and  discontent  amongst  them,  few  of  them  liking 
the  places  or  positions  to  which  Fadl  el  Mulla  had 
appointed  them. 

Constant  rumours  were  floating  about  on  all  kinds 
of  subjects,  but  they  were  so  conflicting  that  it  is  no 
use  speaking  about  them  here. 

Vita  Hassan,  the  apothecary,  had  shared  our  im- 
prisonment, and  occupied  one  of  the  huts  in  our  com- 
pound ;  we  saw  little  of  him  except  in  the  evening.  He 
was  very  cast  down  and  depressed,  for  the  trial  which 
was  being  held  to  investigate  the  accusations  brought 
against  him  had  lasted  many  days,  and  things  were 
constantly  coming  out  about  him  which  no  one  had 
any  idea  of.  In  all  these  trials  things  constantly 
came  out  which  showed  the  fearfully  corrupt  state 
of  the  Province — corruption  of  a  kind  which  seems 
to  be  inseparable  from  Mahomedan,  or  perhaps  I 
should  say  from  Egyptian  rule. 

The  rebels  had  again  entered  Vita's  house,  and 
possessed  themselves  of  great  numbers  of  his  things  ; 
he  was  very  low  about  it  all,  and  seemed  only  to  care 


Conversation  with  Vita  Hassan. 


237 


for  talking  about  Stanley's  coming,  and  our  chances 
of  being  able  to  get  clear  of  the  country  on  his  arrival. 
In  the  evening  we  three  "u-ould  meet  and  sit  out  in 
the  open,  smoking  our  pipes,  and  talking  over  the 
events  of  the  day.  The  subject  of  Stanley's  coming, 
and  of  the  best  plan  to  pursue  in  order  to  reach  him, 
was  discussed  again  and  again.  We  used  to  buy 
occasiouall}"  a  jar  of  native-made  whiskey  which  we 
would  drink  at  these  meetings — anything  to  break 
the  monotony  of  our  imprisonment. 

I  record  a  conversation,  one  of  the  many  I  had  with 
Vita  on  those  occasions,  for  it  gives  an  idea  of  the 
utter  inability  of  these  people  to  grasp  the  fact  of 
what  leaving  the  Province  meant.  He  began  by 
asking  me,  in  case  Stanley  was  able  to  get  us  out  of 
the  country,  how  many  porters  he  would  be  able  to 
give  him  to  carry  his  goods.  I  answered  jjrobably 
not  one.  "  And  my  women  ?  "  he  remarked.  *'  They 
must  walk."  "And  my  children?"  "They  must 
walk  too,  unless  your  women  carry  them."  "And 
our  food  P "  "  Your  food  is  on  the  road,  and  you 
and  your  people  must  forage  for  it  as  we  do." 
"  And  our  cooking  pots,  and  all  our  boxes,  chairs, 
angareps,  bedding,  &c." 

"  Well,  you  must  throw  most  of  them  away,"  I 
replied. 

At  this  he  looked  very  blue,  and,  after  thinking 
some  time  said  he  thought  it  was  a  hard  case. 

"  A  hard  case,  man  ?  "  I  said.  "  What  are  your 
cooking  pots,  and  angareps,  your  boxes,  chairs,  and 
tables,  compared  with  your  life  and  liberty  ?  "  I  told 
him  we  used  one  box  for  a  table,  and  another  for  a 
chair  ;  we  had  no  beds,  but  made  our  beds  on  the 


238 


Emin  Pasha. 


ground  with  grass  or  green  boughs,  and  found  it  verj 
comfortable  ;  they  would  have  to  do  the  same.  Here 
were  these  people,  the  scum  of  the  earth,  the  off- 
scourings of  Cairo  and  Alexandria,  who  in  their  own 
country  lived  a  life  of  poverty,  giving  themselves 
airs  as  if  they  had  been  accustomed  to  be  waited  on 
all  their  lives  by  troops  of  servants.  They  had  been 
petted  and  thoroughly  spoilt  in  Emin's  Province, 
where  each  person  had  been  accustomed  to  have 
as  many  carriers  as  he  pleased.  They  would 
carry  about  with  them  all  sorts  of  rubbish  ;  one 
man  to  carry  a  pipe  and  tobacco,  another  for  a 
washing  basin,  and  goodness  only  knows  how  many 
for  other  things.  They  now  expected  to  travel  to 
Zanzibar  in  the  same  manner,  and  carry  all  their 
worthless  trumpery  with  them.  They  considered  it 
a  real  hardship  to  be  obliged  to  throw  away  any- 
thing. They  also  wanted  all  their  women  to  be 
carried,  which  meant  four  men  to  each  woman  every 
day.  These  women,  of  whom  each  man  had  five  or 
six  on  an  average,  most  of  whom  were  only  savages 
a  few  years  or  even  months  before,  and  who  all  their 
lives  had  been  accustomed  to  walk  !  There  were 
altogether  perhaps  8000  of  Emin's  people  in  Hatalas- 
tiva.  How  many  porters  would  be  required  to  carry 
the  wives,  women,  children,  and  goods  of  these  people 
to  Zanzibar  !  The  country  could  not  support  us,  and 
we  should  be  old  men  before  we  reached  the  coast. 

It  was  maddening  to  see  the  inability  of  these 
people  to  understand  that  if  they  wanted  us  to  help 
them,  they  must  to  a  certain  extent  help  themselves 
as  well.  Here  were  people  to  whom  it  was  a  matter 
of  life  and  death  to  get  out  of  the  country  (T  am 


A  pretentious  People. 


239 


speaking  more  particularly  of  the  Egyptians,  Copts, 
Jews  and  Greeks,  who  would  assuredly  be  massacred 
if  Emin  left  the  Province),  and  who,  one  would 
imagine,  would  do  anything  to  get  out  of  it,  grumbling 
at  having  to  throw  away  their  few  paltry  beds,  tables, 
pots,  &c. 

"What  a  contrast  to  my  companions  ;  who  had  all 
more  or  less  been  accustomed  to  luxury ;  who  had 
come  out  here  to  work,  and  had  borne  all  sorts  of 
trials  and  unpleasantnesses,  merely  for  the  sake  of 
helping  people  whom  they  had  never  seen  ! 

When  I  thought  of  all  they  had  gone  through,  and 
of  Nelson  being  abandoned  in  the  forest ;  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  when  I  listened  to  these  low-caste,  worth- 
less people  complaining  at  being  told  that  they  must 
help  themselves  to  a  certain  extent,  one  could  only 
feel  the  greatest  contempt  for  them. 

This  conversation  was  only  one  of  the  many 
I  had  heard  when  any  of  these  people  asked  about 
the  journey  to  Zanzibar. 

Gratitude  to  us  they  had  none.  When  they  heard  of 
the  shifts  we  had  been  put  to  on  the  road  ;  saw  the 
tattered  state  in  which  we  arrived  ;  and  had  heard 
of  the  miserable  way  in  which  we  lived,  they  despised 
us  for  it  all,  and  could  see  nothing  to  admire  in  it. 

If  we  had  arrived  in  smart  uniforms,  covered  with 
gold  lace,  and  had  given  ourselves  arrogant  airs, 
they  would  have  kissed  our  feet  and  thought  us 
something  like  deliverers.  It  was  useless  to  tell 
them  that  we  officers  had  arrived  at  the  lake  with 
only  two  carriers  each,  they  could  not  take  it  in. 
European  truth,  and  modes  of  expression  had  no 
meaning  for  them,  one  would  have  been  obliged  to 


Emin  Pasha. 


adopt  the  Hatalastiva  modes  of  thinking  and  speak- 
ing to  enable  them,  ever  so  dimly,  to  understand  what 
working  meant. 

The  officers  and  clerks  who  had  searched  Emin's 
house  had,  we  heard,  seized  all  his  cloth,  beads  and 
brass  ;  his  ammunition,  guns,  and  papers,  and  had, 
in  fact,  committed  a  wholesale  robbery.  It  was 
wonderful  to  notice  how  quickly  the  intense  feeling 
against  Hawashi  Effendi  evaporated  when  the  rebels 
had  once  stripped  him  of  all  that  he  had.  This,  too, 
was  to  a  certain  extent  the  same  in  the  case  of  Vita 
Hassan. 

"When  once  the  chief  olfenders'  houses  had  been 
looted,  the  excitement  in  the  rebellion  cooled,  and  a 
general  spirit  of  discontent  and  do-nothingness  per- 
vaded the  Province. 

The  rebel  officers  seemed  chiefly  occupied  in  stuffing 
themselves  with  the  fat  goats  and  sheep  they  had 
taken  from  Hawashi  Effendi.  The  Council  still  sat 
for  a  short  time  every  day,  and  the  commission  of 
inquiry  into  the  accusations  brought  against  the 
Mudir,  Vita,  and  others,  continued  in  a  desultory 
way. 

The  afternoons  were  given  up  to  sleep,  and  the 
evenings  to  drunkenness  and  debauchery,  during 
which  the  officers  seemed  completely  Avrapped  up  in 
their  private  jealousies  and  quarrels. 


CHAPTER  X. 


ARRIVAL  OF  THE  MAHDl's  FORCES. 

The  MahJists  are  upon  us — General  'consternation — Intelligence 
department — Council  called  in  haste — Soldiers  are  despatched 
to  Rejaf — Defenceless  state  of  the  Province — Arrival  of  the 
Peacock  dervishes — The  Bible  and  the  Sword— Letter  from  the 
Mahdist  general — Emin  commanded  to  surrender — Rebels  ask 
Emin's  advice — Abderrahim,  son  of  Osman  Latif — His  courageous 
behaviour — The  rebels'  plans — The  dervishcsare  examined — The 
Khartoum  steamers — Royle's  book  on  Egypt — Stores  in  the 
arsenal  of  Khartoum — Fugitives  arrive  in  Dufile — Robbery  and 
violence  among  the  soldiers — Emin's  unselfishness — Letter  from 
Osman  Latif — The  blow  falls — Rejaf  taken — General  rising  of 
the  natives — Torturing  of  the  dervishes — Pirave  fanatics — More 
news  of  the  fall  of  Rejaf — A  dangerous  steji  to  take — Supersti- 
tion of  the  soldiers — Da61e  put  into  a  defensive  state — My  advice 
to  the  rebels — -Bravery  of  the  dervishes — Their  cruel  death — 
Martyrdom. 

Suddenly,  on  October  loth,  in  the  midst  of  this  in- 
action, the  news  came  like  a  thunder-clap  that  the 
Mahdi's  forces  were  once  more  upon  them  !  A  soldier 
had  been  dispatched  in  haste  with  a  letter,  and  had 
travelled  day  and  night  to  reach  Dufile.  The  news 
the  letter  contained  was,  that  three  steamers,  with 
nine  sandals  and  nuggars,  had  arrived  at  La  do  from 
Khartoum  ;  these  steamers  and  boats  were,  the  letter 
said,  full  of  people.  This  news  struck  the  rebels  with 
•consternation,  trumpets  were  sounded,  a  council  was 
hastily  called,  and  the  whole  station  was  in  an  up- 
roar. There  were  a  few  who  declared  that  these 
must  be  people  from  the  Egyptian  Government,  and 

R 


242 


Emin  Pasha. 


for  a  few  hours  this  belief  seemed  to  gain  ground  ; 
but  it  was  quickly  dissipated,  for  soon  another 
messenger  arrived  saying,  that  an  officer  and  fifty 
soldiers  had,  on  hearing  the  news,  started  from 
Rejaf  instantly,  and  had  returned,  saying  it  was 
indeed  the  terrible  Donagla. 

These  were  without  doubt  the  strangers  of  whom 
we  had  heard  two  months  before  as  being  in  Latooka. 
Indeed,  we  since  heard  that  they  were  the  same 
people  ;  they  had  landed  at  Boa,  and  had  had  a  hard 
fight  with  the  natives  there,  in  which  they  lost  many 
people.  Had  it  not  been  for  this,  they  would  have 
been  at  Lado  four  months  before. 

Curiously  enough,  months  after  this,  when  I  reached 
Cairo,  Major  Wingate,  the  head  of  the  Intelligence 
Department,  sent  me  an  almost  exact  account  of  this 
repulse  in  Latooka,  which  he  had  picked  up  from 
native  reports.  One  or  two  things  were  a  little 
mixed,  but  it  speaks  wonderfully  well  for  the  Intelli- 
gence Department,  that  he  should  have  been  able  to 
construct  the  story  so  faithfully  from  mere  native 
reports. 

A  second  council  was  called  in  the  evening,  and 
that  same  night  Hamad  Aga  and  two  or  three  officers, 
with  sixty  soldiers  and  four  boxes  of  ammunition, 
started  hurriedly  for  Rejaf  to  relieve  the  station  as 
rapidly  as  possible.  The  next  day  we  heard  that 
three  dervishes,  envoys  of  the  Mahdi's  people,  were 
coming  up  to  Dufile  with  a  letter  to  Emin.  There 
were  further  particulars  in  the  letter,  from  which  we 
saw  that  the  Donagla  were  very  much  on  the  alert. 
They  had  established  themselves  at  Lado  on  the  site 
of  the  old  station,  and  had  thrown  out  two  stations 


Arrival  of  the  Dervishes. 


243 


to  the  "west  to  stop  the  road  from  Makraka,  and  so 
cut  off  the  soldiers  and  people  there  from  joining  the 
main  body  at  Rejaf.  The  people  at  Dufile  were 
terrified  at  the  news,  and  hardly  a  sound  was  heard 
in  the  station ;  a  deep  dejection  had  fallen  upon 
every  one.  The  people  became  paralyzed  with  fear, 
and  knew  not  what  to  do. 

Had  the  Donagla  planned  it,  they  could  not  have 
arrived  at  a  more  unfortunate  time.  Everything 
was  at  sixes-and-sevens  in  the  Province  ;  the  northern 
stations  had  been  drained  of  a  good  many  of  their 
officers  and  soldiers,  who  had  come  up  to  Dufile  to 
attend  the  Council ;  the  stations  were  therefore  all 
short  of  fighting  men,  and  were  only  garrisoned  by  a 
soldiery  justly  incensed  against  their  officers.  There 
was  no  head  to  direct  affairs,  the  officers  gave  a 
hundred  conflicting  orders,  and  no  one  obeyed  ;  in 
fact  the  whole  of  the  northern  stations  lay  in  an 
utterly  defenceless  position  at  the  feet  of  the 
Donagla. 

In  the  afternoon  of  October  17th,  three  Peacock 
Dervishes  (so  called  by  Emin's  people  from  their 
many-coloured  clothes)  arrived  with  a  letter  addressed 
to  Emin,  This  letter  Fadl  el  Mulla  at  once  confis- 
cated and  read  to  the  officers. 

The  three  dervishes  were  fine-looking  fellows  of 
the  Arab  type,  with  finely  cut  features,  and  with  an 
exceedingly  dignified  bearing.  They  were  all  dressed 
and  armed  in  exactly  the  same  manner.  "White  shirts 
of  native-made  cotton  cloth  reached  nearly  to  their 
knees,  these  were  patched  all  over  with  bits  of  red, 
blue,  green,  yellow,  and  spotted  calico,  the  edges  of 
these  shirts  being  frayed,  and  left  unhemmed,  and 

£  2 


244 


Emin  Pasha. 


ragged.  Round  their  waists  was  a  buff-coloured 
cotton  cloth,  reaching  to  their  ankles ;  while  an 
enormous  parti -coloured  turban  was  wound  round 
their  close-shaven  heads,  in  many  folds.  Slung 
across  their  backs  were  thongs  of  leather,  to  which 
were  attached  numerous  little  round,  oblong,  and 
triangular  leather  cases,  containing  different  verses 
from  the  Koran.  Each  man  had  a  small  volume  of 
the  Koran.  For  arms,  each  carried  a  large,  straight, 
double-edged  sword  with  a  silver  hilt,  in  a  leather 
sheath,  ornamented  with  pieces  of  iguana  skin,  and 
three  immense  spears,  with  bright  iron  heads,  more 
than  two  feet  long.  These  Avere  eight  inches  broad, 
and  were  shaped  like  an  elongated  ace  of  spades.  The 
shafts  of  these  spears  were  made  of  bamboo,  tipped 
with  iron,  and  must  have  been  from  twelve  to  fifteen 
feet  long. 

They  were  almost  literally  armed  with  the  "  Bible 
and  the  sword." 

They  walked  into  the  station  without  showing  any 
fear  whatever,  and  on  being  asked  what  they  came 
for,  they  replied,  "  We  have  come  to  conduct  you  by 
the  true  path  to  Heaven,  and  to  teach  you  to  pray,  as 
we  the  true  believers,  the  true  Mussulmen  pray." 
There  was  a  great  controversy  as  to  what  should  be 
done  with  them.  Some  were  for  putting  them  in 
chains,  and  sending  them  to  Fabbo,  or  one  of  the 
southern  stations  ;  others  were  for  killing  them  out- 
right. They  were,  however,  for  the  time  being,  put 
in  chains,  and  shut  up  in  one  of  the  prisons.  They 
appeared  perfectly  unmoved  by  their  position.  We 
heard  the  Donagla  had  with  them  a  man  called 
Osman    Erbab,  who  was  formerly  one  of  Emin's 


0)iiar  Salc't  s  Letter. 


245 


clerks  ;  lie  knew  the  country  well,  which  would  make 
him  doubly  dangerous.  The  soldiers  were  in  an 
intensely  excited  state,  and  went  in  a  body  to  the 
rebels'  compound,  and  insisted  on  Fadl  el  Mulla's 
appealing  to  the  Mudir  to  help  them  in  their  need. 
He,  being  thoroughly  frightened  by  what  had 
happened,  consented,  and  an  officer  was  sent  over  to 
Emin,  to  say  the  officers  Avould  all  like  to  come  and 
consult  him  about  the  news  they  had  just  received. 
Emin  said  he  was  willing  to  see  them,  and,  chairs 
being  placed  ready,  they  all  came  in.  Most  of  them 
looked  very  shamefaced  as  they  entered,  and  all 
saluted  him  respectfully.  They  must  have  felt  very 
ashamed  after  all  they  had  done,  that  they  were  at  last 
compelled  to  come  to  him  for  advice.  The  letter  was 
as  follows  : — 

"  From  the  servant  of  God,  Omar  Saleh,  officer  of 
the  Mahdi,  to  whom  we  give  reverential  greetings, 
appointed  for  conducting  aifairs  in  the  Province  of 
Hatalastiva. 

"To  the  Honoured  Mehmed  Emin,  Mudir  of 
Hatalastiva. 

"  May  God  lead  you  in  the  path  of  his  gifts.    Amen . 

"  After  greeting  you,  I  would  remind  you  that  the 
world  is  a  house  of  change  and  decay,  and  everything 
in  it  must  one  day  perish ;  nothing  in  it  is  of  value  to 
a  true  servant  of  God  except  that  which  is  for  his 
good  in  his  future  life.  If  God  wishes  to  be  kind  to 
His  servant.  He  humbles  him,  and  blesses  all  he  does  ; 
and  God  is  the  blessing  in  everything,  and  no  word 
or  action  proceeds  from  Him,  which  does  not  show 
His  infinite  compassion.  God  is  the  Master  of  all  His 
creatures ;  in  His  hands  are  the  keys  of  all  things  ; 


246 


Emin  Pasha. 


there  is  nothing  beyond  His  power  in  the  heavens  or 
in  the  earth.  He  sees  within  and  without,  and  all 
things  good  and  evil  are  in  His  hands.  The  King 
gives  His  gifts  to  whomsoever  He  pleases,  He  says, 
'  Be,'  and  it  is  so. 

"As  you  are  intelligent  and  understand  good  advice, 
we  think  of  you  with  all  kindness,  for  we  have  heard 
of  you  from  many  of  your  friends,  who  have  told  us 
of  your  life  and  of  your  work.  Amongst  them  our 
friend  Osman  Erbab,  your  messenger  who  has  come 
with  us,  and  from  others.  As  we  have  heard  you  are 
kind  to  your  people,  and  that  you  love  justice,  we 
have  decided  to  tell  you  of  our  doings  and  of  our 
position,  because  there  are  many  people  adverse  to 
us,  and  they  do  not  speak  the  truth  about  our  affairs, 
and  perhaps  they  deny  the  truth.  We  belong  to 
God's  arm}^,  and  follow  His  word  only  ;  with  our 
army  is  the  victory,  and  we  follow  the  Imam, 
Mahomed  el  Mahdi,  the  son  of  Abdullah — before 
Avhom  we  bow — the  Khalifa  and  Prophet  of  God — to 
whom  we  offer  our  greetings,  and  of  whom  the  Master 
of  all  has  said,  '  And  in  those  days  there  shall  be 
raised  from  m}^  seat  a  man  who  shall  fill  the  earth 
with  justice  and  light  as  it  was  filled  before  with 
injustice  and  darkness.'  We  have  noAv  come  by  his 
order,  and  there  is  no  possible  result  but  what  is 
good  from  his  commands  in  this  changeful  world. 
AVe  have  given  ourselves,  our  children,  and  possessions 
to  him  as  an  offering  to  God,  and  He  has  accepted 
them  from  us .  He  has  bought  His  true  believers,  their 
souls  and  possessions,  with  His  "Word,  and  Paradise 
belongs  to  them.  If  they  are  killed,  they  are  killed 
as  an  offering  to  God,  and  if  they  kill,  they  kiU  in  His 


Omar  Saieh's  Letter. 


247 


cause,  as  it  is  written  in  the  Old  Testament,  in  the 
New  Testament,  and  in  the  Koran.  Whoever  fulfils 
his  duty  towards  God,  is  by  His  blessing  bought  by 
Him,  as  he  also  buys  him,  and  He  is  Master  of  the 
Avorld . 

"  In  the  month  of  Ramadan,  1298,  God  revealed  the 
expected  Mahdi,  and  made  him  sit  on  His  footstool, 
and  girded  him  with  the  sword  of  victory.  He  told 
him  that  whoever  was  his  enemy  was  unfaithful  to 
God  and  His  Prophet,  and  should  suffer  in  this 
world  and  in  the  next,  and  his  children  and  goods 
should  become  the  prey  of  the  true  Moslems,  and  he 
(the  Mahdi)  should  be  victorious  over  all  his  foes, 
though  they  were  as  numberless  as  the  sand 
of  the  desert ;  and  whosoever  should  disobey 
him  should  be  punished  by  God.  And  God  showed 
him  His  angels  and  saints,  from  the  time  of  Adam 
till  this  day,  and  all  the  spirits  and  devils.  He  has 
before  Him  an  army — its  chief  is  Israel — to  whom 
our  greetings  ;  and  He  ever  goes  before  the 
victorious  army,  a  distance  of  forty  miles.  Besides 
this,  God  i-evealed  to  him  many  miracles.  It  was 
impossible  to  count  them,  but  they  were  as  clear  as 
the  sun  at  midday,  whose  light  is  seen  by  all.  And 
the  people  flocked  to  him  by  the  orders  of  God  and 
His  Prophet. 

"  He  commanded  the  people  to  collect  and  assist 
him  against  his  foes  from  all  parts  of  the  country, 
and  he  wrote  to  the  Governor-General  at  Khartoum, 
and  to  all  the  governors  in  the  Soudan,  and  his 
orders  were  fulfilled.  He  wrote  to  every  king, 
especially  to  the  Sultan  of  Stamboul,  Abdul  Hamid, 
to  Mahomed  Tewfik,  Vali  of  Egypt,  and  to  Victoria, 


1 


248  Emin  Pasha. 

Queen  of  Britannia,  because  she  was  in  alliance  with 
the  Egyptian  Government.  Then  the  people  came 
from  every  side  and  submitted  to  his  rule,  and  told 
him  they  submitted  to  God  and  His  Prophet, 
and  to  him,  for  there  is  only  one  God,  and  He  is 
supreme,  and  they  promised  they  would  abstain  from 
all  evil,  and  that  they  would  neither  steal  nor 
commit  adultery,  nor  do  anything  which  was  for- 
bidden by  God.  They  would  give  up  the  world  and 
strive  only  for  God's  Word,  and  make  war  for  their 
Holy  Belief  for  ever. 

"  And  we  have  found  him,  the  Mahdi,  more 
compassionate  to  us  than  a  pitying  mother  ; 
he  lives  with  the  great,  but  has  pity  for  the  poor ; 
he  collects  people  of  honour  around  him,  and  honours 
the  generous ;  he  speaks  only  the  truth  and  brings 
people  to  God,  and  relieves  them  in  this  world,  and 
shows  them  the  path  to  the  next.  He  reigns  over  us 
according  to  God's  Word,  and  conforms  to  the  words 
of  the  priests.  And  all  religions  and  the  Moslems 
have  become  brothers,  and  help  one  another  for  good, 
and  have  become  slaves  of  the  Prophet,  who  has 
said,  '  All  men  are  equal  before  God.'  He  was  told 
by  God  that  his  time  had  come,  and  that  his  friends 
were  God's  friends,  and  the  people  believed  in  him, 
as  did  Abd  el  Kader  el  Geli,  who  believed  in  him 
and  in  his  mission,  and  said, '  Who  follows  him  goes  to 
eternal  blessing,  and  who  denies  him,  denies  God 
and  His  Prophet.'  But  the  whole  of  the  Turks  in 
the  Soudan,  who  saw  the  wonders  and  forewarnings 
which  happened  at  this  time,  and  did  not  believe, 
have  been  destroyed  by  God  and  have  been  killed 
one  after  another. 


i 


Omar  Sale  lis  Letter. 


249 


"  The  first  army  which  fought  against  the  Mahdi 
had  for  its  chief  Abu  Soud  Bey,  who  came  with  a 
steamer  at  the  time  Avhen  the  Mahdi  was  at  Abba, 
but  thougli  he  Avas  hard  pressed,  God  killed  all  his 
enemies.  Then  the  Prophet  ordered  him  to  go  to 
Gedir,  and  he  went,  but  he  Avas  followed  by  Raschid 
Imam,  Mudir  of  Fashoda,  and  many  people  with  him. 
Then  followed  Yuseph  Pasha  el  Shilali,  Mahomed 
Bey  Suleiman  el  Shaiki,  and  Abdullah  Wadi 
Defallah,  one  of  the  Kordofan  merchants,  and  with 
them  another  army  of  great  strength,  and  God 
killed  them  all.  Then  came  the  army  of  Hicks,  a 
renowned  man,  and  with  him  Al-ed-Din  Pasha, 
Governor-General  of  the  Soudan,  and  many  officers, 
and  with  them  a  very  large  army,  composed  of  the 
people  of  different  countries — no  one  but  God  knows 
their  number — and  many  Krupp  guns,  and  they 
were  all  killed  in  less  than  an  hour,  and  their 
strongholds  were  taken  right  up  to  Khartoum,  the 
residence  of  the  Governor-General,  a  very  strong 
place  between  the  two  rivers. 

"In  Khartoum  Avere  killed  Gordon  Pasha,  the 
Governor,  and  with  him  the  Consuls,  Hansal  and 
Nicola  Leontides,  the  Greek,  and  Azer  the  Copt, 
and  many  others  of  the  Christians,  and  many  of  the 
rebellious  Mahomedans,  Farratch  Pasha  Ezzemi, 
Mahomet  Pasha  Hassan,  Bachit  Batraki,  and 
Achmet  Bey  el  Dgelab.  And  whoever  was  killed  by 
the  Mahdi's  followers  was  at  once  consumed  by  fire, 
and  this  is  one  of  the  greatest  wonders  happening  to 
confirm  what  is  written,  is  to  come  to  pass  before  the 
end  of  the  world.  There  is  yet  another  wonder. 
The  spears  carried  by  the  Mahdi's  followers  had  a 


250 


Emin  Pasha. 


flame  burning  at  their  points,  and  this  we  have  seen 
with  our  eyes,  and  not  heard  only. 

"  And  so  event  followed  event,  near  Suakin  and 
Dongola,  until  General  Stewart  Pasha,  Grordon's 
second  in  command,  died,  and  with  him  some 
Consuls,  and  this  happened  in  Wady  Kama.  Then 
the  other  Stewart  in  Abu  Teleah,  he  had  come  with 
an  English  army  to  relieve  Gordon  Pasha,  but  many 
were  killed,  and  God  drove  them  back  ignomini- 
ously.  And  then  the  whole  Soudan  and  its  Depen- 
dencies accepted  the  Mahdi's  rule,  and  submitted  to 
the  Imam,  the  Mahdi,  and  gave  themselves  to  him 
with  their  children  and  possessions,  and  became  his 
followers,  and  whoever  opposed  him  was  killed  by 
God,  and  his  children  and  property  became  the  prey 
of  the  Moslems. 

"  The  armies  of  the  Mahdi  under  the  command  of  our 
friend  Wad  en  Nedjumi  are  beleaguering  Egypt  near 
Wady  Haifa  and  Abu  Hamed.  Near  Aksar  Abu  el 
Hudjadg  is  our  friend  Osman  Digna.  Abyssinia  is 
in  the  hands  of  our  friend  Handan  Abu  Gandja.  In 
an  encounter  with  the  Abyssinians  God  helped  him, 
and  he  killed  them,  and  amongst  those  killed  was  the 
chief  of  their  army,  who  was  called  Ras  Adrangi ; 
some  of  his  children  were  killed  and  some  made 
slaves.  Our  people  reached  the  great  church  in  the 
town  of  Gondar,  which  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
things  among  the  Christians.  In  Darfour,  Sliakka, 
and  Bahr  el  Ghazal  is  our  friend  Osman  Adem,  and 
with  him  Keremallah  and  Sebehr  el  Fahal.  The 
whole  country  is  in  the  hands  of  God's  soldiers,  who 
war  against  the  foes  of  God,  who  deny  the  Imam, 
the  Mahdi.    They  are  always  victorious  by  God's 


Omar  Salcli s  Letter. 


strengtli  and  might,  as  He  promised  by  His  -word  : 
'  Ye  who  believe,  if  ye  fight,  God  will  give  you  the 
victory.'  And  again,  '  God  is  with  us,  and  the 
victory  is  to  the  believers  ; '  and  yet  again,  '  God  is 
well  pleased  by  those  who  are  slain  in  His  service, 
they  are  like  reared  up  strongholds.' 

"  So  now  we  have  come  in  three  steamers,  and  in 
sandals  and  nuggars,  filled  with  soldiers  from  God's 
army  under  our  orders,  sent  to  you  from  his  Mighti- 
ness the  gi'eat  Chief  of  all  the  Moslems,  the  ever- 
victorious  in  his  religion,  who  relies  on  God,  the 
Lord  of  the  world,  the  Khalifa,  the  Mahdi, — may 
God  be  gracious  unto  him  ! — with  his  sacred  orders, 
which  are  the  orders  of  God  and  His  Prophet,  and  it 
is  your  duty  to  obey  them  by  reason  of  their 
religious  teaching,  you  and  whoever  may  be  Avith 
you,  whether  Moslems,  Christians,  or  others,  and 
we  bring  you  such  news  as  will  insure  your  welfare 
in  this  world  and  in  the  next,  and  to  tell  you  what 
God  wishes,  He  and  His  Prophet,  and  to  assure  you 
of  a  free  pardon,  to  you  and  to  whomsoever  is  with 
you,  and  protection  for  your  children  and  property, 
from  God  and  His  Prophet,  on  condition  that  you 
submit  to  God. 

"  There  are  with  us  some  letters  written,  by  per- 
mission of  our  Master,  by  some  of  your  brethren  who 
wish  you  well.  They  are  from  Abdul  Kader  Slatin, 
who  was  formerly  Mudir  of  Darfour  ;  Mahomed  Said, 
who  was  formerly  called  Georgi  Islamboulia  ;  Ismail 
Abdullah,  who  was  formerly  called  Bolos  Salib,  a 
Copt ;  and  many  others  Avho  s}Tnpathize  with  you, 
and  who  are  now  honoured  by  the  Mahdi's  grace. 
There    are    also    letters    from   your  companions, 


252 


Emin  Pasha. 


Abdullah  Lupton,  who  was  Mudir  of  Bahr  el  Ghazal, 
Ibrahim  Pasha  Fauzi,  Nur  Bey-Ibrahim,  Mudir 
of  Sennaar,  Seyd  Bey  Jumah,  Mudir  of  Fasher,  and 
Eskender  Bey,  commander  of  Kordofan.  God  has 
helped  them  all  with  His  blessing,  and  they  are 
now  well-to-do  and  free  from  care,  and  God  has 
given  them  more  than  they  ever  possessed  in  worldly 
goods  and  heavenly  favour.  When  they  became 
friends  of  the  Mahdi,  God  rewarded  them. 

"  Now  the  Khalifa,  the  Mahdi,  out  of  compassion 
for  your  forlorn  state,  left  alone  in  the  hands  of  the 
negroes,  for  there  has  been  no  news  of  you  for  a  long 
time,  and  you  must  have  lost  all  hope,  has  sent  us  to 
you  with  an  army,  as  I  before  told  you,  to  take  you 
out  of  the  land  of  the  infidels,  to  join  your  brethren, 
the  Moslems.  Submit,  therefore,  with  gladness  to 
God's  wish,  and  come  at  once  to  see  me  Avherever  I 
may  be,  for  I  am  now  so  near  you,  that  I  may  honour 
you  with  the  sacred  orders.  You  will  find  them  full 
of  wonderful  things,  on  which  depend  your  salvation 
in  this  and  in  the  next  world,  and  you  will  find  in  them 
the  contentment  of  God,  the  Ruler  of  the  world.  I 
have  to  add,  I  am  ordered  by  His  Highness,  whom 
no  one  can  deny,  that  I  am  to  honour  you,  and  take 
care  of  you,  and  when  we  meet  you  will  have  all  your 
wishes  fulfilled,  and  you  will  become  one  of  the  true 
believers,  as  our  Master  wishes. 

"  And  now  be  of  good  cheer,  and  do  not  delay.  I 
have  said  enough  for  one  whose  intelligence  is  bright, 
and  now  we  pray  God  to  lead  you  towards  our 
Master,  for  we  believe  you  are  one  of  those  who  hear 
good  advice  and  follow  it,  and  in  truth  it  is  God's 
gift.    Amongst  the  things  in  your  favour  in  the 


Emins  A  civice  to  the  Rebels. 


253 


hands  of  the  Khalifa,  the  Mahdi,  was  the  arrival  of 
your  letter  brought  by  our  friend,  Osman  Erbab, 
intimating  youi  submission.  He  received  this  letter, 
and  was  well  pleased  with  it,  and  because  of  this  and 
the  Khalifa,  the  Mahdi's  compassion  for  you,  Ave  have 
come  here  as  I  told  you  before. 

"  May  God  bless  you  and  assist  you  in  all  that  you 
do.  Salaam." 

There  was  a  second  letter  much  shorter  than  this, 
addressed  to  the  Christian  clerks  of  the  divan,  in 
which  Omar  Saleh  granted  them  free  pardon  provided 
they  consented  to  embrace  Mahomedanism,  and 
assuring  them  they  would  be  well  received  by  the 
Mahdi. 

AVhen  the  letter  had  been  read,  the  oflBcers  asked 
the  Mudir  if  he  would  answer  it.  He  refused,  and 
told  them  as  they  had  put  him  aside,  and  had  brought 
the  country  to  this  pass,  they  must  now  manage  the 
affair  themselves.  If  they  wanted  his  advice,  how- 
ever, he  would  give  it,  not  for  their  sakes,  but  for  the 
sake  of  the  people  whom  they  had  misled,  and  in  duty 
to  the  Government  he  served. 

They  asked  him  if  he  thought  it  was  better  for 
them  to  surrender.  He  replied  such  a  thing  was  not 
to  be  thought  of,  for  they  would  all  be  killed  at  once. 
It  was  not  likely  he  said,  that  they  had  forgotten  how 
they  had  been  tricked,  and  repulsed  by  the  soldiers 
three  years  before.  The  rebels  agreed  with  him,  and 
asked  him  what  he  advised.  Emin  told  them  to  gain 
as  much  time  as  they  could,  and  as  quickly  as  possible 
move  all  the  women  and  children  from  the  northern 
stations  up  to  Dufile.  The  soldiers  and  ammunition 
would  remain  to  the  last,  and  then  to  evacuate  and 


254 


Emin  Pasha. 


burn  tlie  stations  north  of  Dufile.  He  further  advised 
the  people  to  concentrate  at  Tunguru,  which  stood 
upon  a  peninsula,  and  a  broad  ditch  could  be  easily  cut 
which  would  make  it  an  island  and  nearly  impreg- 
nable, and  it  could  be  defended  by  a  comparatively 
small  garrison.  The  steamers  would  be  able  to 
supply  the  fort  with  food. 

He  warned  them  to  look  very  carefully  after  the 
Irregulars,  of  whom  there  were  a  great  number  in 
the  country  ;  they  were  countrymen  of  the  Donagla, 
and  would  be  certain  to  go  over  to  them  if  they  got 
the  chance.  Above  all,  they  must  be  careful  of  the 
steamers,  for  in  them  lay  their  only  hope  of  safety. 

They  agreed  that  this  advice  was  good,  and  said 
they  would  go  and  discuss  it  at  once. 

The  chief  speakers  were  Selim  Aga,  Fadl  el  Mulla, 
Osman  Latif  and  Mustapha  Effendi.  Fadl  el  Mulla 
got  very  excited,  and  said  there  was  nothing  against 
the  Mudir,  except  he  had  upheld  Hawashi  Effendi 
against  the  wish  of  all  the  others. 

The  Pasha  said,  "  When  you  complained  to  me 
about  him  in  Wadelai,  more  than  a  year  ago,  did  I 
not  tell  you,  if  it  was  the  wish  of  all  the  officers  that 
Hawashi  Effendi  should  be  put  aside,  they  should 
write  an  official  letter,  asking  me  to  remove  him, 
otherwise  I  could  take  no  notice  of  it  ?  " 

Fadl  el  Mulla  replied,  "  Yes,  you  did  tell  me  so." 

"  Then  "  said  the  Pasha,  "  why  did  you  not  do  as  I 
told  you  ?  You  can  have  nothing  to  complain  of  now." 

The  rebel  officers  then  retired  to  consider  the 
advice  Emin  had  given. 

The  letter  referred  to  in  the  last  part  of  Omar 
Saleh's  letter,  was  a  letter  which  Emin  wrote  to 


Credit  due  to  Abderrahim.  255 


Keremallah,  when  he  came  up  four  years  before, 
and  had  sent  it  by  the  hands  of  Osman  Erbab,  one 
of  his  clerks.  Keremallah  had  commanded  Emin  to 
surrender,  and  in  reply  the  Pasha  Avrote  him  a 
letter  of  submission,  in  order  to  gain  time  to  enable 
him  to  bring  his  soldiers  to  the  front.  The  ruse  was 
successful,  for  Keremallah,  on  receiving  his  submis- 
sion, and  hearing  trouble  had  broken  out  in  Bahr  el 
Ghazal,  sent  away  the  greater  part  of  his  army,  so 
that  Emin's  soldiers  attacked  the  remnant,  and  were 
able  to  drive  them  away.  It  can  easily  be  under- 
stood that  though  the  words  of  Omar  Saleh's  letter 
were  friendly,  the  Donagla  were  burning  to  revenge 
their  former  defeat. 

I  may  here  remark  that  I  was  indebted  to  Abder- 
rahim, a  boy  of  seventeen,  the  son  of  Osman  Latif. 
for  the  copy  of  Omar  Saleh's  letter.  The  rebels 
would  not  give  the  letter  to  Emin,  but  placed  it  with 
the  government  papers  in  their  divan,  I  asked  Osman 
Latif  to  try  and  get  me  a  copy  of  it,  and  in  accor- 
dance with  my  request,  Abderrahim  entered  the 
divan  at  night,  and  copied  a  part  of  it  each  day. 
After  eight  days  he  handed  me  the  full  copy,  which 
Emin  translated  for  me.  Great  credit  is  due  to 
Abderrahim  for  this,  for  he  entered  the  divan  at 
great  risk  to  himself  and  his  father,  against  whom 
the  rebels  would  have  been  only  too  glad  to  have  had 
a  handle. 

Almost  immediately  after  the  interview  with  Emin, 
Ali  Aga  Djabor,  Farratch  Aga  Ajok,  and  Ali  Aga 
Shamruk,  started  for  Rejaf  to  try  and  bring  in  the 
soldiers  and  people  from  Makraka.  They  took  sixty 
soldiers  with  them,  and  eighteen  boxes  of  ammunition. 


256 


Emin  Pasha. 


Osman  Latif  told  me  in  the  evening  the  result  of 
the  meeting  of  officers,  after  hearing  Emin's  advice. 
They  had  first  decided  not  to  surrender.  They  also 
intended  to  bring  all  the  women  and  children  into 
Dufile,  and  draft  them  off  to  the  southern  stations, 
as  Emin  had  advised.  And  further  to  do  all  they 
could  to  bring  in  the  soldiers  from  Makraka  to  Rejaf , 
which  they  proposed  holding  as  long  as  possible,  till 
the  intervening  stations  had  been  evacuated.  For 
transacting  business,  a  council  of  war  was  to  be  held 
at  Dufile,  composed  of  officers  and  civil  servants, 
which  would  sit  every  day  from  eight  till  eleven.  The 
Irregulars  were  to  be  disarmed,  and  sent  to  the 
southern  stations.  The  three  dervishes,  the  bearers 
of  Omar  Saleh's  letter,  Avere  to  be  kept  prisoners  until 
further  orders.  All  people  leaving  the  station  to  go 
to  the  north  were  to  be  carefully  searched  to  see  that 
no  one  held  communication  with  the  enemy.  A  letter 
was  written  to  Omar  Saleh,  saying  the  Mudir  was 
away  in  the  southern  part  of  the  Province  ;  that  he 
had  been  sent  for,  and  would  answer  his  letter  when 
he  returned  to  Dufile.  This  was  written  as  an  attempt 
to  gain  time,  but  was  an  exceedingly  transparent 
blind,  for  even  if  Omar  Saleh  had  not  already  heard 
what  had  happened,  he  would  easily  see  through  it. 
Nearly  all  of  thes3  measures  were  what  the  Pasha 
had  advised. 

The  rebel  officers  had  the  three  dervishes  up  before 
them,  and  again  questioned  them  concerning  their 
people.  They  said  that  there  were  three  steamers, 
the  Talahwin,  the  Sofia,  and  the  Mahomet  Ali,  with 
nine  sandals  and  nuggars.  The  dervishes  added 
that  there  were  two  more  steamers  with  some  boats 


Gordon's  Steamers. 


257 


on  their  TV  ay  up  from  Khartoum.    More  than  this 
they  would  not  tell,  and  did  not  answer  when  asked 
how  many  men  the  steamers  and  boats  contained. 
Erain  of  course  knew  all  Gordon's  steamers,  and  was 
able  to  say  approximately  how  many  men  each  was 
capable  of  holding.    The  three  steamers,  he  said, 
would  carry  about  three  hundred  and  fifty  men 
each,  and   the   boats  perhaps  forty.    The  whole 
force  therefore,  roughly  speaking,  might  be  estimated 
at  one  thousand  four  hundred  and  ten  men.  No 
doubt   these   men  were  armed  with  Remingtons, 
and  Emin  said  they  would  probably  bring  mountain 
guns  and  rocket  apparatus,  as  they  had  done  four 
years  before.    We  also  heard  that  the  two  steamers 
spoken  of  by  the  dervishes  as  being  on  their  way  up 
from  Khartoum  were   the   Bordein   and  hmailia. 
The  Bordein  would  be  capable  of  carrying  three 
hundred  and  fifty  men,  and  the  Ismailia  perhaps 
four  hundred  and  fifty  ;  these  would  probably  bring 
three  boats  each,  every  boat  containing  forty  men. 
This  would  make  a  further  addition  of  one  thousand 
and  forty  men,  which,  with  the  people  who  had 
already  arrived,  would  swell  the  entire  force  up  to 
two  thousand  four  hundred  and  fifty  soldiers.    At  the 
outside,  eight  hundred  of  Emin's  soldiers  could  be 
mustered  without  leaving  the  southern  stations  in  a 
dangerously  weak  state.    Not  more  than  two-thirds 
of  these  were  probably  armed  with  breech-loaders, 
moreover,  they  were  discontented  and  insubordinate, 
and,  if  they  fought  at  all,  would  only  fight  in  a  half- 
hearted way.    There  did  not,  therefore,  seem  to  be 
much  hope  of  their  being  able  to  repulse  the  Donagla. 
In  reading  Royle's  book  on  Egypt,  I  saw  that  the  four 


258 


Emin  Pasha. 


steamers  sent  down  to  meet  the  English  force  above 
Metemmeh  were  the  Safia,  Bordein,  Talahwin,  and 
another  not  named.  The  Bordein  and  Talahwin 
were  the  two  steamers  in  which  Sir  Charles  Wilson 
and  Lieutenant  Stuart  Wortley  went  up  to  Khartoum. 
In  coming  down  stream  the  Talahwin  ran  on  a  rock, 
and  rapidly  filled,  while  later  on  the  Bordein  ran  on 
a  sunken  rock,  and  had  to  be  beached,  and  abandoned 
by  Sir  Charles  Wilson.  The  Safia,  or  as  Royle 
spells  it,  Safiijeh,  was  the  vessel  in  which  Lord 
Charles  Beresford  came  to  Sir  Charles  Wilson's  aid, 
and  whose  boiler  being  pierced  by  a  shot  off  the 
enemies  battery  at  AVad-Habeshi,  was  obliged  to  be 
anchored  and  repaired  under  the  enemy's  fire.  The 
Sajia  finally  took  Sir  Charles  Wilson's  party  on 
board,  and  returned  to  Gubat.  Then  there  is  the 
following  passage  :  "  Before  leaving  Gubat,  Gordon's 
two  remaining  steamers  were  rendered  useless  by 
the  removal  of  parts  of  the  machinery."  Consider- 
ing the  immense  amount  of  machinery  in  the  arsenal 
at  Khartoum,  and  the  tools,  etc.,  for  mending  and 
building  steamers,  it  seems  a  pity  that  they  were 
not  rendered  useless  more  completely.  It  may  have 
been  that  there  were  no  means  of  doing  so,  or  that 
the  retreat  had  to  be  made  too  rapidly  to  admit  of 
it  ;  but  it  certainly  was  a  great  pity  that  it  could  not 
have  been  done  more  thoroughly,  for  here  were 
two  of  those  very  steamers  now  brought  by  the 
Donagla  against  us,  and  the  Bordein  and  Ismailia 
were  on  their  way  up  to  Lado.  Emin  told  me  there 
were  so  many  artisans  in  Khartoum,  that  the  getting 
up  and  mending  of  the  steamers,  unless  they  had 
been  thoroughly  destroyed,  would  be  an  easy  matter. 


InactioJi  at  DufilL 


259 


Fugitives,  chiefly  women  and  children,  were  now 
daily  arriving  in  Dufile,  from  the  northern  stations. 
They  all  brought  the  same  ncAvs  of  discontent  among 
the  soldiers,  and  disobedience  of  orders.  News  came 
in  that  the  Donagla  had  attacked  and  taken  Rejaf, 
that  numbers  of  women  and  children  had  been 
captured,  and  that  the  soldiers  were  flying  panic- 
stricken  towards  Dufile. 

Meantime  nothing  was  being  done  in  Dufile.  The 
station  was  not  put  into  a  state  of  defence,  none  of 
the  decisions  come  to  at  the  council  of  war,  regard- 
ing the  sending  of  the  women  and  children  to  the 
southern  stations,  were  being  carried  out ;  the  officers 
were  eating  and  drinking.  Everything  was  being 
neglected  just  as  if  the  country  was  safe.  We  could 
do  nothing,  for  we  were  still  prisoners.  Osman 
Latif  wrote  to  Bmin,  "  Nothing  is  being  done  by 
Fadl  el  Mulla,  and  the  other  officers,  they  do  nothing 
but  drink  and  eat  fat  goats.  Nothing  I  can  say 
has  any  effect  on  them,  everything  devolves  upon 
me,  and  I  am  unable  to  carry  out  the  necessary 
precautions  without  help."  Daily  we  heard  of  acts 
of  robbery  and  violence  going  on  among  the  soldiers, 
and  the  officers  were  too  much  afraid  of  them  to  try 
and  check  them. 

It  was  incredible  that  the  officers  could  leave 
things  to  go  as  they  liked  at  such  a  time,  whilst 
ruin  and  disaster  were  hanging  over  their  heads. 

Emin  at  this  time  begged  me  to  go  to  Fadl  el 
Mulla,  and  ask  him  to  let  me  retire  to  M'swa, 
from  which  place,  with  Shukri  Aga's  aid,  he  hoped 
I  might  be  able  to  reach  Fort  Bodo.  This  suggestion 
was  naturally  not  thought  of  for  a  second,  it  savoured 

s  2 


26o 


Emin  Pasha. 


too  strongly  of  what  Gordon  called  "  ratting  out." 
I  record  it  merely  to  show  that  Emin  reproached 
himself  for  having  brought  me  into  this  trouble,  and 
would  willingly  have  seen  me  leave  him,  and  look 
out  only  for  my  own  safety.  This  extreme  unselfish- 
ness in  his  character  must  always  draw  people 
towards  him.  Unfortunately,  this  exceeding  altruism 
was  thrown  away  upon  his  people,  and  only  had  the 
effect  of  making  them  more  selfish. 

From  Osman  Latif,  Emin  received  the  following 
letter,  which  I  give,  as  it  gave  a  tolerably  clear 
account  of  the  fall  of  Rejaf  : — 

"My  Benefactor, — I  have  been  told  that  the 
Khartoum  people,  together  with  Chief  Befo's  men, 
arrived  near  Rejaf  at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon 
of  Oct.  19th,  under  the  pretext  of  making  a  raid  on 
Chief  Loko's  cattle,  and  that  the  soldiers  left  the 
station  in  order  to  prevent  it.  The  Khartoum 
people  took  this  opportunity  of  entering  the  station, 
and  after  having  occupied  it,  they  killed  many 
soldiers,  together  with  Abd  el  Aga  and  Hassan  Bein 
Aga  Barema,  ofiicers,  and  Achmet  Zeinel,  the  clerk. 
The  rest  of  the  soldiers  ran  away,  some  towards 
Makraka,  some  to  Lahore.  Whatever  was  left  in 
in  the  station,  of  women,  children,  and  servants 
belonging  to  soldiers  and  ofiicers,  has  been  lost. 
Amongst  them  are  the  families  of  Hamad  Aga, 
Ali  Aga  Djabor,  Ali  Aga  Shamruk,  and  Dgaden 
Aga. 

"  I  have  also  heard  that  the  garrisons  of  Bidden, 
Kirri,  and  Muggi  have  collected  in  Lahore.  Of  the 
Khartoum  people  no  one  has  yet  come  to  Bidden  or 


TJie  Baris  join  the  Donagla. 


261 


Kirri,  but  they  are  in  Rejaf  busy  dividing  tlie 
women,  children,  and  servants. 

"  I  kiss  yours  and  Mr.  Jephson's  hands, 

"  OsMAN  Latif." 

It  was  true.  Before  the  officers  and  soldiers  who 
left  Dufile  could  reach  their  comrades,  the  blow  had 
fallen  and  Rejaf  had  been  taken.  We  heard  after- 
wards that  the  Donagla  had,  on  arriving  at  Rejaf, 
marched  round  the  station  in  order  to  cut  off  the 
people's  retreat  to  the  southern  stations.  They  had 
then  fallen  on  the  station,  and  the  slaughter  had  been 
terrible.  Those  who  were  able  to  escape  fled  towards 
Makraka.  The  women  and  children  were  divided 
among  the  Donagla,  and  were  afterwards  sent  down 
to  Khartoum. 

Befo  was  a  Bari  chief  who  at  one  time  was  friendly 
to  Emin,  but  when  the  station  of  Lado  was  evacuated 
he  turned  against  him.  He  was  the  most  powerful 
of  the  Bari  chiefs,  and  had  his  villages  and  country 
on  the  mountain  of  Bilinian,  near  Gondokoro.  After 
the  Dinka  rebellion,  between  three  and  four  years 
previous  to  this,  he  bought  up,  with  cattle,  etc.,  all 
the  guns  and  ammunition  which  the  Dinkas  had 
captured  from  Emin's  people  when  they  took  Boa. 
He  was  therefore  a  formidable  ally  to  the  Donagla  ; 
and  eventually  the  rest  of  the  Baris,  eager  to 
revenge  themselves  for  the  years  of  ill-treatment 
they  had  received  at  the  hands  of  the  "  Turks," 
joined  the  movement  against  us.  From  the  very 
beginning  of  the  movement  Emin  had  said  he  was 
sure  Befo  would  ally  himself  to  the  Donagla. 

Stories  frequently  came  in  of  desertions  to  the 


262 


Emin  Pasha. 


Donagla  on  the  part  of  those  people  vrho  were  of 
their  country ;  Sheik  Mooragan,  the  chief  priest  of 
the  Province,  being  one  of  the  first  to  go  over  to  the 
rebels.  Certain  armed  interpreters  of  the  Madi 
tribe,  in  the  service  of  the  Government,  also  deserted 
and  went  over  in  a  body  to  the  Donagla,  taking 
with  them  the  Government  guns.  Letters  from  the 
Donagla,  exhorting  certain  people  in  the  Province  to 
join  them,  were  found,  and  the  people  in  whose 
possession  they  were  found  were  imprisoned.  Letters 
to  Tybe  Effendi,  a  clerk  of  Wadelai,  were  also  found, 
from  a  soldier  who  had  deserted  to  the  enemy, 
urging  him  to  follow  his  example.  The  soldiers  in  a 
fur}^,  looted  Tybe  Effendi's  house. 

Even  now,  if  the  people  had  only  combined  and 
placed  the  Mudir  at  their  head  and  acted  strictly 
under  his  orders,  we  might  have  done  something, 
and  many  lives  might  have  been  saved.  But  they 
were  resolved  on  following  the  headlong  course  they 
had  adopted  two  months  before,  they  had  become 
utterly  demoralized,  and  were  unable  to  make  up 
their  minds  to  the  right  course.  Some  fresh 
disaster  was  needed  to  bring  them  to  understand  the 
danger  they  were  in.    It  soon  came. 

The  rebel  oflficers  again  had  the  dervishes  brought 
before  them.  They  told  the  envoys  that  they  had 
come  with  friendly  words  and  letters  from  their 
general,  and  now  he  had  attacked  Rejaf,  killed 
many  of  the  people,  and  added,  for  this  they  should 
be  put  to  death,  unless  they  gave  full  information 
concerning  the  strength,  etc.,  of  the  Donagla.  The 
dervishes  answered,  "  If  you  kill  us  it  does  not 
matter,  it  will  not  help  you  to  escape  the  vengeance 


i 

1 

■I 


Torturing  of  the  Dervishes.  263 

which  will  surely  fall  upon  you.  You  oflBcers  will  all 
be  cut  down.  But  the  ignorant  soldiers  who  are 
only  acting  under  your  orders  will  be  spared." 

The  dervishes,  who  were  heavily  ironed,  were 
then  sent  back  to  prison,  and  the  officers,  wishing 
to  force  them  to  give  information  about  their 
own  people,  resorted  to  the  slow  torture  of  giving 
them  plenty  of  salt  food,  but  allowing  them  no 
water.  For  more  than  two  days  this  went  on,  the 
poor  fellows  bore  it  without  murmuring,  and  still 
they  would  not  speak.  The  rebel  officers,  becoming 
impatient,  resolved  on  some  keener  torture  in  order  to 
wring  the  information  from  them. 

Accordingly,  a  second  time  the  dervishes  were 
brought  before  them,  and  a  cruel  torture,  common  in 
the  Soudan,  was  devised.  A  piece  of  split  bamboo 
was  tied  round  their  heads,  passing  over  the  temples 
above  the  ears.  This  band  w^as  twisted  so  tightly 
by  means  of  a  piece  of  wood,  used  as  a  tourniquet, 
that  it  cut  through  the  flesh  to  the  very  bone.  With 
every  fibre  in  their  bodies  quivering  from  the 
torture,  and  faint  from  loss  of  blood,  not  a  word  of 
information  about  their  comrades,  not  even  a  groan, 
escaped  the  lips  of  these  brave  men,  so  strongly 
were  they  upheld  by  their  fanatical  trust  and  faith 
in  God  and  their  Prophet.  They  could  only  gasp 
out  that  God,  through  His  Prophet,  would  bitterly 
avenge  them.  The  Egyptian  officers  and  clerks 
delighted  in  watching  the  torture,  and  laughed  and 
exulted  when  the  agony  became  too  intense  for  flesh 
and  blood  to  bear,  and  the  poor  dervishes  sank 
fainting  to  the  ground.  The  demeanour  of  the 
Soudanese,  even,  was  not  so  disgusting  as  that  of 


264 


Emin  Pasha. 


I 


the  cowardly  Egyptians,  for  their  low  bestial  faces 
showed  no  sign  of  pleasure  in  the  sight,  they  merely 
gazed  at  the  torture  with  a  kind  of  stolid  indif- 
ference. The  people  had  pressed  round  in  large  num- 
bers to  see  what  was  going  on,  and  loud  murmurs 
of  sympathy  arose  from  the  women,  who  sobbed 
and  wrung  their  hands  in  very  pity  for  these  brave 
men,  who  bore  their  sufferings  with  such  indomitable 
courage.  Surely  the  religion  which  could  support 
them  under  such  fearful  torture  could  not  be  a  low 
one  !  No  one  worthy  to  be  called  a  man  could  help 
a  feeling  of  respect  and  admiration  rising  in  his 
heart  for  these  poor  fanatics.  Some  such  feeling 
may  have  crossed  Fadl  el  Mulla's  mind,  for  he 
ordered  the  soldiers  to  unloose  their  bands  and  give 
them  water,  and  they  were  carried  back  to  prison  in 
a  semi-conscious  state. 

The  officers,  as  I  said  before,  hardly  knew  what  to 
do,  for  orders  were  given  and  not  carried  out  ;  the 
soldiers  had  become  thoroughly  sulky,  and  would  do 
nothing.  Achmet  Aga  Dinkaue  went  to  Fabbo,  with 
orders  from  Fadl  el  Mulla,  to  dig  a  ditch  round  the 
station  and  fortify  it.  This  was,  of  course,  only  a 
useless  order  ;  it  would  take  at  least  two  months  to 
dig  a  ditch  round  the  station,  with  such  a  force  of 
people  as  there  was  at  Fabbo,  meantime  the  Donagla 
would  probably  sweep  down  upon  tlie  station.  The 
truth  was,  these  people  could  not  bring  themselves  to 
throw  away  one  of  the  many  little  rubbishing  things 
they  possessed,  and,  instead  of  saving  some,  they 
would  lose  all. 

Osman  Effendi  again  Avrote  : — 

"  The  officers  intend  to  collect  here  and  send  the 


More  News  of  the  fall  of  Rejaf.  265 


women  and  cliildren  to  tlie  south,  and  witli  them 
some  soldiers  for  opening  a  new  station  south  of 
M'swa.  The  rest  of  the  soldiers,  with  their  arms  and 
ammunition,  will  remain  here,  at  least  so  I  hear,  but 
what  are  their  true  intentions  no  one  knows  but  God, 
Whom  I  pray  will  assist  us  in  our  trouble." 

We  heard  from  different  fugitives  that  the  Donagla 
had  now  thoroughly  established  themselves  at  Rejaf, 
and  had  strengthened  the  station.  The  steamers 
were  still  at  Lado,  at  which  place  they  had  made  a 
small  but  strong  camp.  But  Rejaf  was  now  the 
stronghold  and  base  of  operations  of  the  Donagla.  A 
soldier  arrived  in  Dufile  ;  he  was  one  of  the  few  who 
escaped  from  Rejaf,  he  was  fearfully  wounded  about 
the  head  and  shoulders  from  sword  cuts.  He  had 
been  left  for  dead  by  the  Donagla,  and  had  managed 
to  creep  away  after  dark  ;  he  was  a  horrible  sight,  it 
was  a  perfect  marvel  that  he  should  be  able  to  live, 
much  less  escape  with  such  wounds  upon  him.  He 
was  allowed  to  come  in  to  see  the  Pasha,  who  was 
always  ready  to  help  his  people,  whatever  they  did, 
and  his  wounds  were  carefully  dressed  by  Emin, 

He  told  us  a  slightly  different  story  about  the 
taking  of  Rejaf.  He  said  that  at  about  five  in  the 
afternoon  the  Donagla,  accompanied  by  hundreds  and 
hundreds  of  natives,  were  seen  approaching  the 
station.  They  had  marched  round  with  flags  flying 
and  drums  beating ;  they  then  made  a  dash  at  the 
postern  gate,  and  took  it  in  the  first  rush.  The 
soldiers  had  hardly  made  any  resistance,  they  were  so 
completely  cowed  and  unnerved  by  the  chaos  existing 
in  the  country  since  the  Mudir's  deposition,  and, 
having  no  head,  had  no  heart  to  fight.    The  Donagla 


266 


Emin.  Pasha. 


did  not  use  their  guns  much,  they  were  not  good  shots, 
but  they  committed  fearful  havoc  with  their  broad- 
headed  spears  and  long  swords.  They  gave  no 
quarter  to  any  one  excepting  to  women  and  small 
children.  A  good  many  soldiers  broke  out  of  the 
station  on  the  opposite  side  and  fled  towards  Makraka, 
but  the  number  of  deaths  was  great,  for  the  natives 
pursued  the  fugitives,  and  cut  a  large  number  of  them 
down  in  the  flight. 

The  panic  had  been  terrible,  and  there  was  a 
regular  stampede  from  the  stations  of  Bidden,  Kirri, 
and  Muggi,  for  Lahore,  everything  in  these  stations 
being  left  behind,  even  the  ammunition.  The  Baris 
had  entered  the  stations  immediately  the  soldiers  had 
left,  and  had  looted  everything. 

Abdullah  Aga  Manzal,  after  the  first  panic  was 
over,  persuaded  the  officers  and  most  of  the  soldiers,  of 
whom  there  must  have  been  over  300  in  Lahore,  to 
return  to  Muggi.  This  was  done  as  Muggi  was  a 
compact,  well-built,  and  comparatively  strong 
station.  It  was  further  decided  by  the  officers  to 
attempt  to  take  Rejaf  ;  a  most  dangerous  step  at 
any  time,  but  in  the  state  of  discontent  in  which 
the  soldiers  were  now  it  was  certain  to  be  fatal. 
Casati  and  I  went  to  Fadl  el  Mulla,  and  begged  him 
to  urge  the  people  to  retire  to  Dufile  and  concentrate 
there,  where,  having  the  river  and  steamers  at  their 
back,  their  retreat  could  not  be  cut  oif.  TTe  saw 
Selim  Aga  and  several  other  officers,  and  they  all 
agreed  that  it  would  be  best  to  do  so. 

The  chief  clerk  and  Ibrahim  Effendi  Elham  were 
therefore  sent  down  to  Muggi,  to  urge  the  rebel 
officers  to  relinquish  their  plan  ;  but  they  utterly 


Superstition  of  the  Soldiers.  267 


refused  to  do  so,  and  clamoured  for  reinforcements  of 
soldiers  and  ammunition.  A  rumour  had  come  in 
that  a  certain  number  of  the  officers  and  soldiers  who 
had  escaped  from  Rejaf  had  been  successful  in 
joining  the  soldiers  in  Makraka.  These  were,  we 
heard,  now  marching  to  join  the  people  at  Muggi, 
who  intended  to  wait  for  them  there.  I  feared  they 
would  indeed  have  to  wait  a  long  time. 

The  soldiers,  curiously  enough,  had  a  strong  super- 
stition that  these  Donagla  were  under  some  charm, 
which  made  them  impervious  to  ordinary  bullets. 
They  said  that  when  they  fired  at  the  Donagla  they 
could  see  the  bullets  dropping  off  them  like  rain. 
Numbers  of  Hawashi  Eiiendi's  dollars  were  therefore 
moulded  into  bullets,  each  dollar  making  a  bullet. 
It  was  supposed  that  these  silver  bullets  would  be 
able  to  penetrate  the  charm.  The  ordinary  bullets 
were  also  hollowed  out,  and  a  peg  of  ebony-wood  or 
copper  was  fixed  firmly  in,  these  being  supposed  to 
be  almost  as  efficacious  as  the  silver  bullets.  For 
several  days  the  artisans  were  at  work  on  these,  and 
finally  when  a  great  number  had  been  finished,  a 
further  reinforcement  of  sixty  soldiers  was  dispatched 
to  Muggi  armed  with  these  bullets.  They  departed 
with  renewed  hope  and  courage,  for  they  had 
immense  faith  in  the  virtue  of  these  charm-piercing 
bullets,  with  which,  they  felt  convinced,  they  could 
kill  the  devil  himself. 

It  seems  queer  that  such  beliefs  should  hold  among 
half-civilized  people,  at  the  end  of  the  enlightened 
nineteenth  century.  And  yet  when  one  comes 
to  think  of  it,  it  was  not  so  very  long  ago  that  this 
belief  held  in  Scotland  ;  for  Claverhouse  was  con- 


268 


Emin  Pasha. 


sidered  proof  against  bullets,  and  was  finally  sup- 
posed to  have  been  killed  by  a  silver  button  used 
as  a  bullet — and  that  was  as  late  as  William  and 
Mary's  reign.  The  belief  in  the  efl&cacy  of  silver 
bullets  holds,  I  was  told,  over  the  whole  Orient, 
even  to  this  day. 

People  are  very  apt  to  shrug  their  shoulders  and 
express  contempt  for  the  ignorant  superstitions  of 
the  negroes  ;  but  if  they  will  only  go  back  in  history 
a  little,  they  will  find  there  is  no  African  superstition, 
however  ignorant,  but  has  had  its  parallel  compara- 
tively recently  in  the  annals  of  European  history. 

The  officers  now  began  to  put  the  station  into  a 
defensive  state,  for  hitherto  nothing  had  been  done 
to  improve  the  defences,  which  were  of  their  kind 
exceedingly  good  and  strong.  The  ditch  was  deep 
and  broad,  and  the  earthworks  strong,  but  in  need  of 
repair.  Selim  Aga  and  some  of  the  other  officers 
asked  me  to  go  round  the  station  with  them,  and 
make  such  suggestions  as  I  thought  well  for  the 
further  defence  of  the  station,  in  case  the  soldiers  at 
Muggi  should  be  defeated,  and  the  Donagla  reach 
Dufile.  I  went  round  accordingly,  and  pointed  out 
to  them  where  places  should  be  strengthened  and 
repaired,  and  told  them  the  banks  of  the  ditch  and 
earthworks  should  be  made  smooth,  so  that  no  foot- 
hold should  be  offered  to  people  endeavouring  to 
climb  them. 

I  further  advised  that  the  banana  and  sugar-cane 
plantations,  of  which  there  were  numbers  close  to 
the  station,  should  be  levelled  in  order  to  afford  no 
cover  for  the  enemy  ;  the  interpreters'  huts  and  the 
standing  corn  near  the  station  should  also  be  cleared 


Suggestions  for  the  defence  of  Diifile.  269 

away.  The  ditch,  I  advised,  should  be  cut  through 
the  roads  by  which  the  station  was  entered,  so  as  to 
have  an  uninterrupted  ditch  completely  round  the 
station  ;  planks  could  be  used  as  bridges  across  it 
meantime.  Above  all,  I  pointed  out  a  place  where 
the  ditch  had  been  left  uncut  close  to  the  river.  A 
narrow  bridge  of  earth  had  been  left  which  was  used 
by  people  coming  from  work  in  the  gardens  outside, 
for  entering  at  the  corner  of  the  station.  Within 
ten  yards  of  this  was  a  thick  grove  of  bananas  and 
sugar-cane  capable  of  sheltering  several  hundreds  of 
men.  It  required  no  cleverness  to  see  at  a  glance 
that  this  was  a  place  exactly  suited  for  carrying  out 
the  Donagla  tactics.  They  could  conceal  themselves 
in  the  banana  grove  and  enter  the  station  on  the 
first  opportunity,  falling  upon  the  soldiers  on  the 
flank  and  rear,  thus  cutting  them  off  from  the 
steamers  which  lay  at  the  wharves  close  to  where 
the  entry  could  be  made. 

Selim  Aga  and  the  officers  all  agreed  that  my 
suggestions  were  good,  and  promised  to  have  them 
carried  out ;  which  I  knew  meant  nothing.  I  may 
here  add  that  eventually  when  Dufile  was  taken  by 
the  Donagla  it  was  precisely  at  this  spot  that  they 
entered.  My  suggestion  had  never  been  followed, 
and  the  place  had  been  left  just  as  it  was. 

After  going  round  the  station,  I  went  and  sat  with 
the  officers  in  the  gatehouse  at  the  entrance  of  the 
station,  and  they  told  me  what  were  their  plans. 
They  were  not  very  extensive,  nor  did  they  appear 
to  be  in  any  hurry  to  carry  them  out.  They  saw  no 
necessity  for  haste,  it  was  not  in  them  ever  to  hurry. 
While  we  were  talking  the  dervishes  passed,  guarded 


270 


Emin  Pasha. 


by  soldiers.  They  could  only  move  slowly  and  pain- 
fully along,  for  their  ankles  were  enclosed  in  heavy 
elephant  irons  with  a  link  in  the  middle,  to  which 
was  fastened  a  piece  of  rope,  to  enable  them  to  hold 
the  irons  up  when  they  wished  to  walk.  Mustapha 
Bffendi,  an  Egyptian,  grinned,  and  pointed  out  to  me 
the  terrible  marks  of  the  torture,  as  they  staggered 
painfully  by,  under  the  weight  of  their  heavy  chains. 
Though  starved,  beaten  down  and  insulted,  their  bear- 
ing towards  their  captors  was  dignified  and  self- 
reliant  as  ever  ;  but  the  sight  of  their  poor  lacerated 
heads,  and  the  look  of  patient  sufFering  upon  their 
faces  were  too  pathetic  for  any  words  to  describe.  I 
felt  inclined  to  dash  my  fist  into  the  grinning  faces 
of  those  cowardly  Egyptians  who  were  pointing  with 
such  pleasure  to  the  evidences  of  their  cruel  work. 
The  dervishes  looked  full  at  me,  seated  among  the 
Egyptians,  as  they  passed.  They  probably  thought  I 
had  some  hand  in  the  ordering  of  their  torture. 
That  look  haunted  me  for  days.  It  was  as  if  I  had 
been  torturing  some  animal,  and  it  had  turned  and 
looked  at  me  with  a  human  face. 

The  dervishes  dragged  out  a  miserable  existence 
for  several  weeks,  they  were  half-starved  and  con- 
stantly ill-used  by  the  soldiers,  but  in  spite  of  their 
long  sufferings  they  could  never  be  induced  to  give 
the  smallest  information  against  their  comrades. 
Their  Korans,  the  sole  comfort  they  had,  were  taken 
from  them,  and  I  used  often,  in  passing,  to  see 
them  prostrate  in  prayer,  with  a  rapt  expression 
on  their  faces  which  showed  that  though  their  bodies 
were  chained,  lacerated,  and  starved,  their  faith  in 
God  and  His  Prophet  enabled  them  to  rise  above 


PUACOI  K    DKKVISHKS    I'ASSISU   THKOLGII    GUARD  -  HOUSK. 

Page  379. 


1 


1 

i 

j 
I 

! 
I 


Death  of  the  De?'vishes, 


271 


their  earthly  sufferings.  Finally,  when  the  Mahdi's 
forces  were  before  Dufile,  it  was  decided  by  the 
officers  to  kill  them.  They  were  taken  down  to  the 
river  and  beaten  to  death  with  clubs,  and  their  bodies 
were  thrown  to  the  crocodiles.  Death  must  have 
come  like  a  relief  to  them.  In  all  our  calendars  of 
the  men  who  have  suffered  for  their  religion,  no  one 
could  have  better  deserved  to  be  called  martyrs  than 
these  three  brave  dervishes. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


PEISONERS  ON  PAROLE. 

Letter  from  Hassan  Lntvi — Rumours  of  Stanley's  arrival — Rising  of 
the  natives  — Emiii's  house  searched —Position  of  affairs  at 
Miiggi — Letter  of  warning  written  to  Stanley— Osman  Latif  is 
sent  to  Wadelai — Mustapha  flogs  his  wife  to  death — Children 
drowned  in  the  river — Extraordinary  weather— Epidemic  among 
the  cattle — Insubordination  of  soldiers  at  Wadelai — Shuli 
Sorcerer — Abdullah  is  the  thief — Arrogance  of  Erain's  soldiers — 
Negro  troops — -Eniin's  treatment  of  liis  soldiers — Second  disaster 
at  Rejaf — Officers  killi!d  in  the  flight — Stories  told  of  the 
soldiers  —  Rebels  decide  to  send  us  to  Wadelai — -Emin's  farewell 
at  Dufile — -Our  arrival  at  Wadelai — Enthusiastic  reception  to 
Emin — Cowed  attitude  of  people  at  the  outbreak  of  the  rebellion 
— Emin  free  from  all  responsibility — Joy  of  people  at  Emin's 
return — Our  position  at  Wadelai — Europeanizing  the  negro — 
Possible  improvement  of  negroes — Ropes  of  sand  — Spread  of 
Malidism — Reported  outbreakof  Irregulars — Rumour  of  approach 
of  Mahdists — Inactivity  of  the  people — Egyptian  effrontery  —The 
soldiers  make  a  demonstration — Emin  unable  to  speak  out — 
Emin  declares  he  knows  his  people — A  contemptible  Egyptian. 

Here  was  a  letter  yve  received,  wliich  will  show 
how  readily  the  people  were  to  believe  the  wildest 
conjectures  and  rumours,  anything  rather  than  face 
their  trouble,  and  admit  they  were  in  a  dangerous 
position  : — 

"  Yesterday  evening  a  private  letter  arrived  from 
Hassan  Effendi  Lutvi,  telling  us  the  officers  were  pre- 
paring to  start  for  Rejaf  to  crush  the  rebels,  for  the 
reason  that  they  had  ascertained  that  the  soldiers 
from  Makraka,  with  a  great  number  of  the  tribe  of 
Bombe,  had  arrived  in  Rejaf.    After  having  attacked 


Letter  from  Hassan  Lutvi.  273 

the  Donagla,  they  had  driven  them  out,  and  had  re- 
taken the  station.  The  Donagla  have  come  into 
this  country  flying  from  Khartoum,  before  the 
government  soldiers  and  the  Abyssinians,  for  the 
Egyptian  government  had  retaken  the  Soudan.  With 
the  Donagla  there  are  a  great  many  regular  soldiers, 
formerly  in  Egyptian  employ.  These,  during  the 
attack  of  the  Makraka  soldiers  at  Rejaf,  had  fired 
their  guns  in  the  air,  and  had  sent  two  or  three 
soldiers  to  encourage  them,  saying  they  would  never 
fire  at  their  former  companions.  The  Donagla  have 
brought  with  them  many  women  and  children  be- 
longing to  the  notables  of  Khartoum.  Osman  Effendi 
Erbab  has  not  come  of  his  own  free  will,  but  as  a 
prisoner.  This  is  what  Hassan  Lutvi  writes,  but 
God  knows  what  is  true." 

It  was  always  like  this,  any  reverse  soon  plunged 
them  into  the  deepest  dejection,  but  they  quickly  re- 
covered from  this,  and  were  ready  again  to  believe 
any  wild  tale  they  heard,  so  that  it  enabled  them  to 
avoid  facing  the  gravity  of  the  situation. 

The  account  Selim  Aga  gave  me,  that  food  was 
very  scarce  in  Khartoum,  and  that  there  were  hardly 
any  clothes,  and  thai:  this,  and  their  revenge,  had 
brought  them  to  the  country  a  second  time,  seemed 
likely. 

Hawashi  Effendi  several  times  sent  to  ask  me  to 
go  and  see  him,  for  I  was  now  allowed  to 
go  about  the  station  more  freely,  and  could  visit 
whom  I  pleased.  I  would  not  go  to  see  him  after 
what  he  had  done,  so  he  wrote  me  a  little  note, 
begging  me  not  to  think  badly  of  him  for  what  he  had 
written  against  the  Mudir ;  he  said  some  of  the 

T 


274 


Emin  Pasha. 


rebel  officers  had  come  in,  and  threatened  to  torture 
him  if  he  did  not  write  as  they  dictated.  He  had 
done  it  under  pressure,  but  what  he  had  written  was 
not  true. 

From  the  south  we  constantly  heard  rumours  of 
Stanley's  arrival,  but  we  gave  no  credence  to  them, 
for  they  were  never  more  than  wild  native  reports. 
Rajab  Effendi,  Emin's  secretary,  who  was  now  at 
liberty  again,  sent  a  note  to  me  one  day,  saying  he 
had  heard  from  some  men  who  had  just  come  in  from 
Wadelai,  that  Stanley  had  certainly  arrived  at 
N'sabe.  He  apologized  for  not  having  come  himself 
to  tell  me,  but  naively  added,  "  I  was  so  drunk  this 
morning,  that  T  am  not  fit  to  come  before  you  yet." 
T  concluded,  therefore,  that  the  story  of  Stanley's  ar- 
rival was  only  the  outcome  of  his  drunken  fit. 
Meanwhile  the  officers  and  soldiers  at  Muggi  were  still 
waiting  for  the  soldiers  to  arrive  from  Makraka,and 
were  constantly  writing  to  Dufile  for  reinforcements. 
Twenty  more  soldiers  were  taken  from  Fabbo  sta- 
tion, and  as  many  as  could  be  safely  spared  from  the 
southern  stations  were  also  brought  to  Dufile,  and 
dispatched  to  Muggi.  Still,  however,  the  cry  was 
for  more  reinforcements  before  the  officers  could 
decide  to  attack  Rejaf,  until  Fadl  el  Mulla  wished 
himself  well  out  of  his  position  as  President,  and 
regretted  ever  having  accepted  the  post. 

Hamad  Aga,  the  Major,  wrote  from  Muggi  still 
asking  for  reinforcements  and  carriers.  He  said  the 
Madi  tribe  had  refused  to  act  as  porters,  or  bring 
in  corn  or  food.  He  added,  "  The  Madi  tribe  are  all 
of  them  in  rebellion  against  our  authority,  and  only 
await  the  coming  of  the  Donagla  to  break  out  and 


The  Soldiers  defy  their  Officers.  275 


attack  us."  It  was  precisely  the  same  at  Dufile,  tlie 
native  interpreters  about  the  station  had  also  refused 
to  bring  in  corn,  and  defied  all  orders;  the  Shulis,  too, 
on  the  other  side  of  the  river  between  Dufile  and 
Fabbo,  were  also  rising.  The  natives  all  round  were 
ready  to  join  any  one  so  that  he  was  against  the 
Turks.  We  heard  of  dissensions  among  the  oflicers  at 
Muggi,  and  a  state  of  almost  active  mutiny  on  the  part 
of  the  soldiers,  who  openly  reproached  their  officers 
for  not  having  listened  to  the  Mudir's  words  four  years 
before,  when  he  wanted  them  to  evacuate  the  north- 
ern stations,  and  move  to  the  south.  And  now  three 
months  ago,  when  the  Mudir  and  Mr.  Jephson  had 
come  among  them  in  order  to  help  them,  their  officers 
had  again  deceived  them. 

They  continued,  that  had  it  not  been  for  their 
officers  they  would  now  have  been  out  of  harm's  way, 
and  would  not  have  lost  their  women  and  children. 
Ali  Aga  Djabor  tried  to  stop  the  murmuring,  and 
threatened  flogging  and  imprisonment ;  they  openly 
defied  him  to  lay  a  finger  on  any  of  them,  and  said 
they  would  only  obey  their  Mudir. 

A  strong  feeling  on  all  sides  among  the  soldiers 
and  ofiicers,  a  feeling  impelled  by  fear  and  discomfort 
of  the  confusion  reigning,  was  really  rising  now  in 
favour  of  Emin's  being  reinstated  as  Mudir  of  the 
Province.  Several  non-commissioned  officers  came 
into  our  compound  secretly  at  night,  and  told  Emin 
that  the  soldiers  were  determined  to  have  him  back 
again  in  his  place.  A  corporal  remarked,  "  You  see, 
isn't  it  ridiculous  ?  The  officers  have  deposed  you, 
and  have  called  each  other  names.  Who  cares  about 
their  Beys,  their  Majors  and  their  Captains,  none 

T  2 


276 


Eniin  Pasha. 


of  us  look  at  sucli  things."  Emin  told  the  soldiers 
to  wait.  Alas,  that  was  his  advice  to  every  one, 
upon  every  subject  ! 

Early  on  the  morning  of  October  30th,  the  big 
steamer  came  in  from  Wadelai,  brinofino"  Casati. 
The  steamer  people  had  heard  that  the  Donagla  had 
arrived,  but  had  heard  nothing  of  the  fall  of  Rejaf. 
They  were  very  much  downcast  at  the  news.  Casati 
reported  the  utmost  discontent  and  confusion  reign- 
ing in  the  southern  stations.  There,  as  here,  the 
soldiers  disobeyed  orders,  and  would  do  no  work. 

The  clerks  and  officers  who  had  acted  on  the 
commission  to  search  the  Pasha's  houses,  had  stripped 
them  of  nearly  everything,  they  had  gone  down  to 
Tunguru,  had  again  entered  Vita  Hassan's  house, 
and  had  almost  completely  looted  it.  From  Tunguru 
they  had  gone  on  to  M'swa,  but  Shukri  Aga  hear- 
ing of  their  coming,  had  again  gone  away  from  the 
station,  this  time  under  the  pretence  of  going  out  to 
hear  if  he  could  get  any  news  to  confirm  the  report 
of  Stanley's  arrival.  They  had  waited  several  days, 
but  as  he  did  not  return  they  had  gone  away,  leaving 
him  still  in  command  of  his  station.  It  was  astonish- 
iug;  that  at  such  a  time  as  this,  when  disaster  for  the 
whole  Province  was  hanging  over  their  heads,  that 
the  clerks  and  rebel  officers  should  still  be  thinking 
of  robbing  and  looting. 

Casati  and  I  went  to  see  Ibrahim  Effendi  Elham 
on  his  return  from  Muggi ;  he  told  us  that  the  soldiers 
had  declared  that  after  their  comrades  from  Makraka 
had  arrived  they  would  march  down  to  Dufile  in  a 
body  and  reinstate  their  Mudir.  Fadl  el  Mulla  and 
the  other  rebel  officers  were  becoming  very  much 


Letter  of  warning  to  Stafiley.  277 

afraid  of  the  position  tlieywere  in,  and  would  gladly 
now  have  seen  the  Pasha  in  his  place  once  more,  but 
they  feared  that  if  he  were  reinstated  he  would  use 
his  position  to  take  vengeance  upon  them. 

Ali  Aga  Djabor,  seeing  how  things  were  going  in 
the  Mudir's  favour,  proposed  to  the  officers  and 
soldiers  that  they  should  go  over  to  the  Donagla,  but 
this  they  flatly  refused  to  do — they  would  have 
received  short  shrift  if  they  had. 

The  steamers  had  begun  to  carry  loads  of  the 
refugees,  who  were  now  daily  flocking  in  from  the 
northern  stations.  I  went  and  saw  the  first  steamer 
load  start, — such  a  nondescript  lot  of  people  with  the 
most  extraordinary  collection  of  baggage  imagin- 
able ! 

Now  that  the  steamers  were  running  we  were  able 
to  get  a  good  deal  of  news  from  the  few  faithfuls  at 
Wadelai  and  from  Shukri  Aga.  They  frequently 
smuggled  letters  to  us  by  the  pilot  of  the  steamer, 
and  we  were  tolerably  au  courant  with  affairs  in  the 
southern  stations.  We  heard  from  the  clerk  of 
M'swa  station,  who  was  at  Wadelai,  that  he  was 
about  to  return  to  M'swa,  and  he  asked  me  to  write  a 
letter  to  Stanley,  and  he  would  forward  it  through 
Shukri  Aga  to  him.  I  wrote  a  long  letter  to 
Stanley,  telling  him  as  nearly  as  I  could  the  position 
of  affairs  in  the  country,  and  of  the  coming  of  the 
Donagla,  and  I  further  warned  him  to  be  careful  how 
he  approached  the  country.  At  that  time  we  felt 
certain  that  if  he  did  not  come  soon  we  should  be 
taken  by  the  Donagla.  Some  horrible  catastrophe 
seemed  to  be  impending,  for  it  could  not  be  long 
before  the  Mahdi's  forces  were  before  Dufile,  and  we 


278 


Emm  Pasha. 


felt  nothing  could  save  us.  It  seemed  to  me,  in 
writing  that  letter,  as  if  I  were  saying  good-bye  to 
Stanley  and  my  fellow-officers,  to  my  home  and 
people.  I  had  quite  made  up  my  mind  that  I  should 
probably  have  to  wander  as  a  bare-footed  dervish 
about  the  streets  of  Khartoum. 

Amongst  other  people  who  were  sent  with  their 
families  to  Wadelai  was  Osman  Latif,  so  that  now  we 
had  no  one  really  to  depend  on  for  news  of  what  was 
going  on  in  the  sta^tion.  He,  having  been  chief  of 
the  detective  department  in  Khartoum,  had  a  most 
wonderful  way  of  rooting  out  news,  without  ap- 
parently looking  after  anything.  He  was  up  to  all 
sorts  of  tricks  and  dodges,  and  although  one  did  not 
like  him  any  the  better  for  them,  we  found  him  most 
useful.  He  was  a  man  who  was  greatly  disliked  and 
distrusted  by  every  one. 

The  Egyptian  officer,  Mustapha  Effendi,  whose 
compound  was  close  to  ours,  and  who  I  said  before 
was  constantly  beating  his  women,  at  last  beat  one 
of  his  women  so  cruelly  that  she  died.  We  could 
hear  her  shrieks  and  the  sound  of  the  heavy  whip, 
until  there  was  a  dull  thud  as  of  a  person  falling,  and 
then  all  was  silent.  We  heard  that  her  back  was 
most  terribly  cut,  he  had  beaten  her  in  a  frantic 
manner.  I  think  it  was  a  case  of  some  jealousy 
about  another  man.  This  Mustapha  Effendi  was  the 
same  man  who  had  pointed  so  delightedly  to  the 
wounds  on  the  dervishes  heads.  He  was  a  true 
Egyptian  in  his  cruelty. 

A  very  sad  scene  happened  one  day  ;  three  boys 
and  a  couple  of  girls  were  crossing  the  river  in  a  canoe. 
They  had  been  over  to  the  other  side  to  fetch  wood. 


UPSETTIKU  OF  A   CaXOE  IN  THE  Nll-E. 


Fage27& 


Extraordinary  Weather.  279 


The  current  was  strong  and  there  was  a  high  wind 
blowing  down  stream,  the  consequence  was  when  the 
canoe  was  in  mid-river,  it  upset,  and  all  five  were 
instantly  overwhelmed  by  the  current.  Great  efforts 
were  made  to  rescue  them,  but  they  Avere  all  drowned. 
Probably  the  crocodiles  took  them  before  they  were 
dead.  I  pitied  the  poor  mother  who  was  on  the  bank, 
and  rushed  frantically  into  the  water  Avhen  she  saw 
what  had  happened.  The  women  all  came  down,  and 
took  her  back  to  her  house.  It  was  wonderful  to  see 
how  sympathetic  and  tender  these  black  slave  women 
were  to  her,  and  how  sincerely  they  seemed  to  share 
her  grief.  We  heard  them  weeping  and  wailing  all 
through  the  night.  It  reminded  one  of  an  Irish 
wake. 

The  weather  for  this  time  of  the  year  was  most 
extraordinary.  Every  day  at  about  two  o'clock  the 
sky  became  black  as  ink,  till  it  seemed  as  if  it  were 
twilight,  the  air  was  oppressively  still  and  hot,  and 
even  the  birds  were  silent.  Then  with  a  howl  and 
roar,  the  wind  swooped  down  from  the  mountains 
upon  the  station.  It  was  always  accompanied  by 
deluges  of  rain,  not  falling  in  drops,  but  seeming  to 
come  down  in  one  solid  sheet,  whilst  the  wind  lashed 
the  trees  furiously,  and  uprooted  a  great  number. 
This  generally  lasted  for  about  an  hour,  and  then 
cleared  away  as  suddenly  as  it  came,  while  all  round 
could  be  heard  the  torrents  roaring  down  the  moun- 
tain sides.  Though  this  was  the  dry  season,  the 
river  was  at  this  time  higher  than  I  had  ever  seen  it 
in  the  rainy  season.  During  what  should  have  been 
the  rainy  season  there  was  a  drought,  and  the  river 
was  very  low.    Everything  was  burnt  up,  most  of  the 


28o 


Emin  Pasha. 


crops  failed,  and  there  was  hardly  any  grass  to  be 
seen.  In  the  southern  stations  the  cattle  died  by 
hundreds,  it  was  almost  like  an  epidemic.  In  conse- 
quence of  the  prolonged  drought,  there  was  a  perfect 
plague  of  flies,  and  all  the  savannahs  were  infested 
with  ticks  and  parasites  of  all  kinds.  The  unfortunate 
cattle  became  covered  with  ticks  and  were  tormented 
by  flies,  which  made  them  very  restless  and  thin,  and 
eventually  killed  them.  In  the  stations  of  M'swa 
and  Tunguru  there  were  over  1200  cattle,  and  these 
were  nearly  all  killed  by  the  drought ;  and  now,  when 
it  should  be  dry,  the  remainder  were  in  a  fair  way  to 
be  killed  by  the  constant  rain.  "VVadelai  was  little 
better  off,  and  great  numbers  of  cattle  died  there. 
Emin  said  it  was  one  of  the  most  extraordinary 
seasons  he  had  ever  seen.  The  superstitious  people 
put  it  all  down  to  the  coming  of  the  Donagla,  whom 
they  were  convinced  dealt  largely  in  charms  of  all 
.sorts. 

Hawashi  Effendi  having  been  stripped  by  the  rebel 
oflBcers  was  allowed  to  prooeed  with  his  greatly 
diminished  family  and  household  goods  to  Wadelai, 
and  Dufile  was  gradually  becoming  emptied  of  its 
superfluous  population.  Suliman  Effendi  had  been 
reinstated  at  Tunguru  ;  he  had  a  good  deal  of  influence 
with  his  brother  Fadl  el  Mulla,  and  used  all  that 
influence  to  get  the  rebel  officers  to  release  the  Mudir. 
He  declared  he  would  not  leave  the  station  till  he  had 
seen  Emin  depart  for  AYadelai.  Kodi  Aga,  the 
chief  of  "Wadelai,  also  wrote  at  this  time,  urging  Fadl 
el  Mulla  to  release  the  Mudir,  for  the  soldiers  were 
deserting  and  getting  perfectly  unmanageable,  and 
he  declared  nothing  would  quiet  them  but  the  return 


A  Shuli  Sorcerer. 


281 


of  the  Pasha.  On  hearing  of  all  these  reports,  Fadl 
el  Mulla  said  he  had  no  objection  himself  to  release 
the  Mudir,  but  that  he  was  unable  to  do  so  until  he 
had  conferred  with  the  officers  at  Muggi.  There  was 
a  very  storm}"  scene,  in  which  Suliman  Effendi  told  his 
brother  the  real  reason  was  that  he  was  afraid  if  the 
Mudir  got  into  power  again,  he,  Fadl  el  Mulla,  would 
be  one  of  the  first  to  suffer  punishment. 

Some  weeks  before,  when  I  was  in  Wadelai,  a  thief 
had  entered  my  boy's  house  at  night,  and  had  stolen 
all  his  clothes  and  eighteen  dollars.  A  soldier  named 
Farajala  was  convicted  of  the  theft ;  he  returned 
the  clothes,  but  insisted  that  he  had  not  taken  the 
money.  However,  Kodi  Aga  put  him  in  chains, 
and  said  he  should  not  be  released  until  the  money 
was  returned.  After  some  time  he  sold  nearly  all 
he  had,  and  repaid  the  money  to  my  boy,  but  he 
came  down  to  Dafile  after  some  days,  bringing  with 
him  a  sorcerer  of  the  Shuli  tribe.  He  went  before 
Fadl  el  Mulla,  and  said  the  money  was  stolen  by 
one  of  my  three  orderlies,  but  he  did  not  know 
which,  he  had  therefore  brought  the  sorcerer  with 
him,  and  he  would  be  able  to  discover  who  was  the 
thief.  I  told  them  to  come  over,  and  had  my  orderlies 
up  before  them.  The  sorcerer  first  of  all  heated  a 
piece  of  iron  to  a  white  heat,  and  made  each  of  my 
orderlies  touch  it  with  his  tongue.  He  declared  that 
the  thief  was  Moorajan.  Again  he  went  through 
some  mysterious  movements  with  three  bits  of  straw 
and  some  wood.  Each  time  the  lot  fell  upon  Moor- 
ajan, and  he  was  declared  to  be  the  culprit.  I  said 
I  could  not  allow  him  to  be  punished  on  such  evidence, 
but  I  had  up  my  orderlies  and  examined  them,  and 


282 


Emin  Pasha. 


had  their  things  searched.  A  certain  number  of 
dollars  were  found  in  Abdullah's  bag,  which  he  could 
not  account  satisfactorily  for,  and  after  calling  up 
many  witnesses,  and  sifting  the  whole  case,  it  was 
found  that  Abdullah  was  the  thief,  and  after  a  good 
deal  of  persuasion  he  owned  to  it.  Only  ten  dollars 
were  found,  so  I  had  to  make  up  the  rest,  and 
handed  the  eighteen  dollars  over  to  Farajala.  I 
ordered  Abdullah  to  be  flogged,  and  he  received  150 
lashes  without  uttering  a  sound  ;  when  he  got  up, 
he  gravely  saluted  me,  and  said,  "  Thank  God, 
master,"  and  went  off  to  his  house  as  if  nothing 
had  happened.  However  severely  negroes  are 
punished,  they  never  bear  any  malice  if  they  know 
they  deserve  it.  Abdullah  was  a  man  who  was  of  the 
greatest  possible  use  to  both  Emin  and  me  during  our 
imprisonment  ;  he  Avas  always  clean,  ready,  and  well 
mannered,  and  knew  his  duties  as  a  soldier  far  better 
than  most  of  our  Soudanese.  When  Emin's  orderlies 
were  taken  away,  and  he  was  short  of  servants, 
Abdullah  always  waited  at  table,  and  even  did  some 
of  the  house  work.  Stanley  afterwards,  hearing  how 
well  he  had  behaved,  made  him  a  sergeant,  with  a 
large  increase  of  pay  on  my  recommendation. 

We  heard  very  little  of  what  was  going  on  at 
Muggi,  except  that  it  was  the  intention  of  the 
officers  to  attack  Rejaf  on  Xovember  12th. 

The  soldiers  after  having  worked  a  few  days  on 
the  defences  of  the  station,  refused  to  do  any  more  ; 
saying  they  were  soldiers  and  not  labourers. 

If  they  were  told  to  do  an^^thing,  such  as  getting 
wood  for  steamers,  making  houses,  or  even  at  last 
digging  the   ditch   to  fortify  the   station,  they 


Character  of  Emiiis  Soldiers.  283 

answered,  "  ISTo  !   we  are  soldiers,  our  only  duties 
are  to   figlit  and   do  sentry  work."    Again,  they 
would   not  carry  their  own  food  or  clothes  on  a 
march,  but  insisted  upon  carriers  ;  I  have  even  seen 
soldiers  with  a  boy  each  to  carry  their  guns.  They 
did  not  understand  the  duties  of    soldiers   in  the 
least.    They  never  had  drill,   nor  did  they  even 
understand   that   the    first  duty  of   a  soldier  is, 
obedience   to   orders ;  they   knew   nothing  about 
fatigue  parties,  or  such  duty  as  the  European  soldiers 
have  to  do.    One  might  be  inclined  to  look  over  a 
good  deal  if  they  were  good  fighters,  but  they  were 
not  ;  for  if  confronted  by  a  tolerably  determined 
enemy,  they  always  ran.    Emin  at  one  time  said  to 
me,  "  If  at  the  first  volley  the  enemy  do  not  retire, 
my  people  will  never  attack  them  hand-to-hand." 
[u  the  last  Mahdi  war  they  had  run  every  time 
from  the  Mahdists,  and  it  was  only  when  at  last 
they  were  hemmed  in  by  the  enemy  that  they  fought 
at  all.     I  could   not  see    one  redeeming  quality 
about  them ;  they,  who  were  only  natives  them- 
selves, looked  down  on  the  other  natives  who  were 
not  "  soldiers,"  and  they  treated  them  with  the 
utmost  arrogance.     They  were  ill-mannered  and 
insubordinate,  and,  in  spite  of  their  ignorance,  gave 
themselves  the  greatest  possible  airs,  and  talked 
about  being  soldiers  when  they  did  not  know  even 
how  to  obey.    I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that 
as  a  body,  I  have  never  seen  a  more  useless  set  of 
men.    It  was  not  altogether  Emin's  fault,  for  he 
had  a  miserable  lot  of  corrupt  officers  under  him, 
most  of  them  being  criminals.    Officered  by  Euro- 
peans they  might  have  been  made,  by  teaching  them 


284 


Emin  Pasha. 


their  duties,  drill,  and  above  all,  obedience,  a  very- 
good  lot  of  soldiers,  but  commanded  by  such  corrupt 
officers,  they  were  both  cowardly  and  useless.  There 
was  in  them  at  times  a  sort  of  stupid  indifference  to 
danger,  I  will  not  call  it  courage,  but  with  European 
officers  this  might  have  been  fostered  and  educated, 
and  would  have  been  nearly  as  good.  People  in 
Europe  think  that  all  negro  troops  are  good,  because 
they  have  heard  how  well  they  fought  in  the 
Egyptian  campaigns,  and  how  much  Gordon  praised 
them,  and  they  class  them  all  under  the  generic 
name  of  Soudanese.  They  do  not  seem  to  under- 
stand that  the  so-called  Soudan  is  a  vast  continent, 
and  is  practically  unlimited.  In  it  there  are  a 
hundred  different  tribes,  who  differ  from  each  other 
in  character,  physique,  and  ways  of  living,  just  as 
much  as  the  nations  of  Europe  differ  from  each 
other. 

For  instance,  take  even  a  small  body  like  Emin's 
soldiers.  There  were  Dinkas,  Madis,  Baris,  Xiam- 
niams,  Makrakas,  Shulis,  Wanyoro,  Shiluks,  and 
half-a-dozen  others  of  various  tribes  ;  all  of  them 
more  or  less  different.  For  example,  the  Dinkas  and 
Niam-niams  were  exceedingly  brave  people  ;  whereas 
the  Baris  and  Makrakas  were  cowardly,  and  made 
very  bad  soldiers.  Turkish  or  Egyptian  rule  in- 
creases and  fosters  their  arrogance,  but  seldom 
brings  out  the  good  qualities  in  them,  and  there 
are  many. 

The  truth  was,  Emin  spoilt  his  people ;  he  was 
too  easy  and  good  to  them,  and  such  goodness 
was  not,  I  think,  real  kindness,  for  it  only  made 
them  more  and  more  absurd  in  their  pretensions. 


Second  Defeat  at  Rejaf. 


285 


I  remember  wlien  we  were  at  Kirri,  Emin's 
coming  to  me  and  telling  me  that  we  must  leave 
the  station,  for  his  orderlies  had  nothing  to  eat. 
"  But,"  I  asked,  "  is  thers  no  corn  in  the  station  ?  " 
"  Corn  !  There's  plenty  of  corn,  but  thej  have  got 
no  women  to  grind  it."  "  And  do  you  mean  to  say, 
Pasha,  that  your  orderlies,  who  have  nothing  to  do 
all  day  long,  cannot  grind  their  own  corn  for  a  few 
days?"  He  answered,  "  You  don't  understand  the 
customs  of  the  country ;  such  a  thing  is  not  done." 
I  shrugged  my  shoulders,  and  said,  "  Very  well. 
Pasha,  but  I  should  like  to  see  any  of  our  Zan- 
zibaris  coming  up  to  Stanley  with  such  a  complaint, 
even  after  they  had  been  carrying  ammunition  to 
help  your  soldiers  all  the  day."  Such  spoiling  was 
not  kindness  ;  it  ruined  the  soldiers,  and  made  them 
useless  for  anything. 

On  November  14th  we  heard  rumours  of  a  second 
defeat  at  Rejaf,  and  this  was  confirmed  later  on  by 
Selim  Aga,  who  told  us  he  had  just  received  a  letter 
from  Muggi.  The  soldiers  had  four  days  before  left 
Muggi,  and  had  marched  against  Rejaf.  As  soon 
as  they  entered  the  station,  the  Donagla  had  sallied 
out  and  attacked  them  furiously.  The  soldiers  fired 
one  volley,  and  then,  without  attempting  to  make 
any  stand,  turned  and  fled.  And  these,  forsooth  ! 
were  the  men  who  said,  "  "We  are  soldiers,  our  duties 
are  only  fighting  and  doing  sentry  work  !  "  Some 
of  the  fugitives  made  for  Makraka,  and  a  good  many 
reached  Muggi  that  same  night.  Great  numbers 
were  killed,  for  hundreds  of  Baris  joined  in  the 
pursuit,  and  cut  down  all  those  who  could  not  get 
along. 


286 


Emin  Pasha. 


Among  the  officers  killed  were  Hamad  Aga,  the 
Major;  Abdullah  Vaab  Effendi,  an  Egyptian;  All 
Aga  Djabor ;  Sheik  Bachit ;  Salim  Aga ;  Hassan 
Effendi  Lutvi,  a  clerk,  and  several  others  whose 
names  I  do  not  know.  The  letter  giving  this  infor- 
mation came  from  Abdullah  Aga  Manzal,  the  chief 
of  Muggi,  and  he  entreated  the  officers  at  Dufile  to 
send  carriers  at  once  to  help  them  to  retire. 

"We  had  foreseen  this  disaster,  and  both  Emin, 
Casati,  and  myself  had  told  the  officers  it  would  be 
madness  to  attempt  to  retake  Rejaf  ;  but  they  were 
not  to  be  persuaded  to  give  up  their  plan. 

I  was  very  sorry  for  Hamad  Aga's  death,  he  was 
the  best  by  far  of  all  Emin's  Soudanese  officers.  He 
was  a  thoroughly  good,  honest,  straight  forward  old 
fellow,  and  was,  moreover,  a  firm  friend  of  Emin  in 
fair  and  foul  weather.  He  was  greatly  beloved  by 
the  soldiers,  particularly  by  those  of  Wadelai,  of 
which  station  he  was  formerly  chief.  His  death 
created  a  profound  impression  among  the  soldiers, 
and  made  them  more  than  ever  discontented  with 
the  rebel  officers.  At  the  taking  of  Rejaf  some 
weeks  before,  all  his  wives  and  children  were  captured 
by  the  Donagla,  and  he  seemed,  from  all  accounts, 
to  have  become  reckless  in  consequence.  He  was 
one  of  those  fatherly-looking  old  negroes,  with  white 
hair,  and  I  felt  really  grieved  that  I  should  not 
again  see  his  kind  old  face. 

We  heard  afterwards,  that  some  of  the  officers 
were  captured  alive,  but  that  they  were  eventually 
killed  by  the  Donagla,  who  cut  off  their  heads  and 
stuck  them  on  poles  over  the  gate  of  the  station. 

Here  we  were  cooped  up  indeed  like  rats  in  a  trap  ; 


Death  of  A  bdtil  Vaab  Effendi. 


287 


we  were  neither  allowed  to  act  or  to  retire,  and  daily 
we  expected  the  Donagla  to  be  upon  us.  The  panic 
among  the  people  was  terrible,  and  long  strings  of 
fugitives,  who  had  thrown  everything  they  possessed 
away,  came  flying  hour  by  hour  into  the  station,  until 
it  was  full  to  overflowing. 

The  people  then,  with  one  accord, made  Selim  Aga 
chief  of  the  Province.  Shortly  after  the  last  of  the 
fugitives  had  come  in,  the  officers  and  soldiers 
arrived.  They  were  all  in  great  fear,  for  there  was 
now  nothing  between  us  and  the  Donagla  but 
abandoned  and  empty  stations. 

I  was  told  a  story  by  one  of  the  soldiers,  who  had 
escaped  in  the  flight  from  Rejaf,  about  the  death  of 
Abdul  Vaab  Effendi.  According  to  his  story,  the 
greatest  terror  had  reigned  when  the  Donagla  had 
sallied  out  of  the  station,  and  joined  by  all  the  Baris, 
had  fallen  upon  the  attacking  column.  Abdul  Vaab 
Elfendi,  it  appeared,  had  a  bad  leg,  and  was  not  able 
to  keep  up  very  well  with  the  rest  of  the  soldiers  in 
the  flight.  At  last  he  fell  from  exhaustion,  and 
called  out  to  one  of  his  soldiers  to  help  him  to  reach 
his  donkey,  which  was  tied  to  a  tree  hard  by.  In 
answer  to  his  appeal  the  soldier  wrenched  his  Snider 
rifle  from  his  hand,  and  threw  him  his  old  muzzle 
loader,  saying  that  that  was  a  good  enough  weapon 
for  one  of  the  cowardly  Egyptians,  who  had  brought 
all  this  trouble  on  them  by  their  intrigues.  Abdul 
Vaab  Effendi,  being  unable  to  reach  his  donkey, 
was  eventually  overtaken  by  the  infuriated  Baris, 
and  fell  pierced  by  the  thrusts  of  a  hundred 
spears. 

Several  stories  hke  these-  made  this  disgraceful 


I 


288  Etnin  Pasha. 

flight  all  the  more  terrorizing  to  Emin's  cowardly 
soldiers. 

A  council  was  called,  and  a  long  discussion  took 
place  concerning  the  Mudir.  Some  were  for  rein- 
stating him  at  once,  some  were  for  sending  him  to 
Wadelai,  and  another  party  Avere  still  against  him. 
Fortunately  for  us,  Ali  Aga  Djabor,  and  four  of 
Emin's  worst  enemies,  were  killed  in  the  flight  from 
Rejaf,  therefore  the  party  against  the  Mudir  was  in 
the  minority. 

Moreover,  the  soldiers  came  in  a  body  and  said 
nothing  should  be  done  unless  the  Mudir  was  in- 
stantly released  ;  they  said  they  dated  the  beginning 
of  all  their  troubles  from  the  time  when  he  had  been 
deposed. 

The  following  day  the  officers  came  in,  and  after 
talking  for  a  few  minutes  on  indiiierent  subjects,  as 
their  custom  was,  they  began  to  speak  about  the  real 
reason  of  their  visit. 

They  said,  owing  to  the  wish  of  the  people,  they 
had  decided  to  allow  the  Mudir  to  go  to  Wadelai, 
where  he  would  be  a  prisoner  on  parole,  and  would 
be  permitted  to  go  about  the  station  and  to  his 
garden.  Fadl  el  Mulla,  however,  stipulated  that 
Emin  should  give  him  his  word  to  make  no  attempt 
to  regain  his  position  as  Mudir,  and  that  he  would 
take  no  part  in  the  affairs  of  Government  ;  it  was  on 
this  understanding  only  that  he  wa^  allowed  to  go. 
Emin  said  he  had  no  wish  to  be  at  the  head  of  affairs 
after  the  way  in  which  his  people  had  treated  him. 

We  owed  this  step  to  the  influence  of  Suliman  Aga 
and  Selim  Aga  chiefly,  but  we  owed  much  also  to  the 
Donagla,  for  had  they  not  suddenly  appeared  on  the 


I 


Emin  is  released  from.  Prison. 


scene  and  so  terrified  the  people,  God  only  tnows 
what  would  have  become  of  us.  I  do  not  think  we 
should  have  ever  got  nut. 

Certain  it  is,  that  had  the  rebel  officers  been  able 
to  prove  a  single  instance  of  injustice  and  irregularity 
against  Emin,  he  would  most  assuredly  have  lost  his 
life  during  those  first  excited  weeks  of  the  rebellion. 
But  they  could  prove  nothing,  for  Emin  was  found  to 
be  perfectly  innocent  of  an}^  of  the  many  accusations 
brought  against  him. 

Even  at  the  last  the  clerks  would  not  give  up 
mischief -making,  but  went  in  a  body  to  Fadl  el  Mulla 
to  beg  of  him  not  to  allow  the  Mudir  to  depart,  but 
luckily  Suliman  Aga  was  there,  and,  seizing  a  club 
and  calling  to  the  soldiers,  he  chased  the  clerks 
through  the  station. 

On  the  morning  of  November  17th,  Emin  was 
released  from  prison,  and  was  formally  escorted  down 
to  the  steamer  by  most  of  the  officers.  He  had  been 
in  prison  just  three  months,  during  which  time 
he  had  never  been  outside  *,he  high  walls  of  the 
compound. 

The  farewell  which  Emin  received  was  a  triumph 
over  his  enemies.  The  soldiers  were  marched  down 
to  the  landing-place,  and  the  Khedivial  Hymn  was 
played.  They  were  all  drawn  up  in  two  lines  on 
each  side  of  the  road,  and  saluted  as  the  Pasha 
passed  between  them.  Salutes  were  fired  from  the 
mountain  guns,  and  the  whole  station,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  a  comparatively  small  party  of  officers  and 
clerks,  turned  out  en  masse  to  greet  him  and  wish 
him  God  speed. 

Every  one  seemed  to  breathe  more  freel}^  now  that 

u 


290 


Emin  Pasha. 


he  was  at  liberty  again.  Nearly  all  came  and  kissed 
his  hands  and  conducted  him  in  triumph  to  the 
steamer.  His  own  flag  with  the  crescent  and  three 
stars,  which  he  was  allowed  to  fly  as  Governor,  was 
flying  at  the  fore,  and  two  flags  aft,  as  before  the 
rebellion. 

At  7.30.  a.m.  we  steamed  away  from  Dufile,  amid 
loud  spoken  expressions  of  good-will  from  everj^one. 
As  for  Emin,  he  was  in  tremendous  spirits.  He 
seemed  never  tired  of  looking  at  the  trees,  the  water, 
the  mountains  ;  the  feeling  of  being  at  liberty  again 
made  him  restless  and  excited.  We  talked  of  the 
probability  of  the  Donagla  taking  Dufile,  and  the 
unlooked  for  turn  of  fortune's  wheel,  which  had 
given  us  our  liberty.  We  looked  back  at  Dufile,  now 
growing  indistinct  in  the  distance,  the  station  in 
which  we  had  such  extraordinary  experiences,  until 
a  bend  in  the  river  hid  it  from  our  view.  Thank  the 
good  God,  that  was  the  last  we  saw  of  it  ! 

We  did  not  arrive  at  Wadelai  till  the  next  after- 
noon, for  we  had  to  stop  at  Bora,  a  small  station, 
in  which  there  were  one  ofl&cer  and  twenty-five 
soldiers. 

Emin  had  established  it  there  in  order  to  have  a 
supply  of  wood  always  ready  for  steamers  plying 
between  Wadelai  and  Dufile,  for  it  was  a  fifteen 
hours'  journey  by  steamer. 

I  will  here  quote  a  passage  from  my  journal, 
which  gives  my  impressions  at  the  time. 

"  A  third  time  we  had  to  stop  for  wood  this  morning, 
so  we  did  not  sight  the  station  of  Wadelai  till  2.30. 

"On seeing  the  Mudir's  flag  flying  at  the  fore, every- 
one flocked  down  to  the  water's  edge,  and  when  at 


I 


Emins  Reception  at  Wadelai.  291 

three  o'clock  we  steamed  up  to  the  landing-place, 
the  whole  station  was  assembled,  the  soldiers  being 
all  dressed  in  white,  and  drawn  up  for  saluting  the 
Governor.  Directly  the  steamer  was  made  fast, 
all  the  officers,  clerks,  civil-servants,  and  artizans, 
flocked  on  board  to  greet  the  Pasha,  and  escorted 


 1  I 

HADJI  fatma's  jor. 


him  with  joyful  acclamations  up  to  his  house,  in  front 
of  which  a  sheep  was  killed,  and  we  were  made  to 
step  over  the  blood  ;  some  of  the  blood  was  also 
dashed  against  the  lintels  of  the  doors  of  our  houses 
for  luck.  As  we  entered  the  compound,  the  old 
negress,  Hadji  Fatma,  who  looked  after  the  Pasha's 
house,  came  running  forward  with  the  tears  pouring 
down  her  cheeks,  and  having  kissed  the  Pasha's 

T7  2 


Emin  Pasha. 


hands,  danced  before  him  into  the  house,  snapping 
her  fingers  like  castanets,  holding  up  her  hands 
above  her  head,  and  crying,  "  Allah  be  praised  !  " 
The  soldiers  all  marched  up  in  front  of  the  Pasha's 
house  and  saluted  ;  he  said  a  few  words  to  them,  and 
they  filed  off  before  him.  All  the  officers,  clerks, 
civil-servants,  and  employes  came  in  and  had  coffee, 
and  after  talking  some  time  to  the  Pasha,  and  con- 
gratulating him  on  his  return,  left.  In  his  private 
compound  there  must  have  been  fifty  or  sixty  women 
at  a  time,  who  all  came  to  kiss  his  hand  and  weep 
for  joy. 

"  Every  one  seems  glad  to  have  him  back,  and  the 
utmost  contentment  apparently  prevails.  The  few 
faithfuls  who  have  stuck  to  him,  in  spite  of  threats 
of  imprisonment  or  death  from  the  rebels,  go  about 
with  grinning  faces,  showing  the  height  of  their 
delight  that  the  bad  days  are  over.  The  Pasha's 
return  here  is  decidedly  triumphant.  I  do  not  think 
the  people  actually  against  him  were  in  the  majority, 
but  the  rebels  acted  so  promptly  and  quickly,  that 
the  people  were  cowed  and  astonished,  and  for  a 
few  weeks  were  completely  taken  in  by  the  lies  the 
rebels  circulated  about  the  Mudir.  They  therefore 
passively  allowed  the  rebels  to  do  as  they  pleased,  as 
all  negroes  will  in  the  face  of  determined  energy, 
and  acquiesced  in  all  that  was  done.  Then  they 
heard  the  news  of  the  coming  of  the  Donagla,  and 
the  people  were  greatly  startled  and  astonished  to 
find  that  Khartoum  had  actually  fallen,  and  that 
there  was  no  road  that  way.  They  then  saw  that 
the  policy  which  the  Pasha  had  for  the  last  three 
years  been  alternately  commanding  and  entreating 


Quotation  fro77i  my  Journal. 


293 


them  to  pursue  was  riglit,  and  they  understood  how 
completely  they  had  been  befooled  by  tlieir  officers, 
and  how  foolish  they  had  been  in  throwing  over  the 
Mudir  when  such  a  crisis  was  at  hand. 

"  They  heard  with  dismay  of  the  fall  of  Rejaf ,  of  the 
death  of  the  officers  and  clerks,  and  of  the  capture 
of  all  the  women  and  children.  They  saw  with 
disgust  the  utter  inability  of  the  rebel  officers,  who 
had  usurped  the  authority,  to  deal  with  affairs  in 
such  ai>  emergency.  The  feeling  of  discontent  and 
insubordination  grew  and  increased,  until  the  news  of 
this  last  disaster  swept  away  all  control,  and  with  one 
accord  they  declared  vehemently  for  the  Mudir. 

"  He  is  now  free,  but  refuses  again  to  accept  author- 
ity, moreover  he  has  given  his  promise  not  to  do  so  ; 
I  can  only  hope  he  may  not  be  forced  into  it.  It  is 
better  that  he  should  not  accept  authority  again, 
for,  if  he  was  not  obeyed  before  his  deposition,  he 
certainly  will  not  be  obeyed  now.  Besides,  he  would 
be  accepting  the  responsibility  of  the  whole  situation 
which  has  been  brought  about  by  the  rebellion,  and 
once  disorder  and  robbery  have  taken  hold  of  the 
soldiers,  it  will  be  difficult  to  eradicate  it.  As  things 
have  turned  out,  he  is  now  in  no  way  responsible  for 
an}i;hing  which  happens  in  the  country,  and  if  Stanley 
comes  to-morrow,  he  can,  without  the  slightest  blame 
being  attached  to  him,  leave  as  a  private  individual, 
leaving  those  who  have  thrown  him  over,  and  taking 
with  him  only  such  people  as  have  been  faithful 
to  him  throughout.  When  once  the  people  said 
they  deposed  him,  his  duty  towards  them  entirely 
ceased. 

"  It  is  true  that  these  people  are  rejoiced  at  his  re- 


294 


Emin  Pasha. 


turn,  but  it  is  only  the  coming  of  the  Donagla  which  has 
brought  them  to  their  senses.  They  think  that  their 
only  hope  of  safety  lies  with  him.  Three-quarters 
of  their  rejoicing  at  his  return  is  for  themselves;  they 
think  he  will  save  them  the  trouble  of  thinking. 

"  For  thirteen  years  he  has  been  with  them,  and 
there  is  not  a  single  accusation  of  any  real  injustice 
or  injury  done  to  any  one,  which  has  been  proved. 
Yet  his  people,  while  admitting  he  has  been  a  just  and 
beneficent  ruler,  have,  on  the  word  of  their  officers, 
believed  the  lies  told  against  him,  and  thrown  him 
over. 

"  They  allowed  him  to  be  imprisoned,  and  would,  I 
believe,  have  stood  by  and  allowed  him  to  be  killed  ; 
they  would  never  have  wakened  up  to  the  fact  that 
he  was  right  and  they  were  wrong,  if  they  had  not 
been  suddenly  startled  by  the  coming  of  the  Donagla. 
Though  the  process  has  been  exceedingly  un- 
pleasant, it  is  not  entirely  a  bad  thing  that  this 
rebellion  has  happened,  for  it  has  freed  him  from  the 
responsibility  of  dealing  with  a  '  foolish  and  stiff- 
necked  people.' 

"  All  he  has  now  to  do  is  to  get  out  of  the  country 
with  the  few  faithfuls,  and  not  trouble  his  head 
about  the  rest.  If  they  want  to  follow,  let  them  do 
so  by  all  means,  but  they  must  take  all  the  trouble 
on  their  own  shoulders.  I  repeat  it — he  has  now  no 
more  responsibility. 

"  The  delight  of  once  more  being  free  after  three 
months'  imprisonment  in  the  middle  of  a  noisy 
station,  is  very  great.  It  is  all  so  quiet  here.  At 
Dufile  there  was  nothing  to  be  seen,  it  was  so  low- 
lying  and  depressing.    Here  the  station  is  built  on 


Pleasure  of  returning  to  Wadelai.  295 


the  top  of  a  hill,  and  from  mj  liut  I  get  a  splendid 
view  through  the  open  door,  of  the  river  winding 
below,  with  a  great  rolling  grassy  plain,  dotted  over 
with  trees,  between  it  and  the  distant  Shuli  moun- 
tains. 

"  "When  one  has  been  long  in  a  low-lying  place,  it 
is  wonderful  what  an  effect  getting  to  the  top  of  a 
high  hill  has  on  one's  spirits  and  thoughts.  I  love 
to  go  alone  on  some  mountain,  and  look  down 
from  a  great  height ;  one  seems  more  or  less  to 
leave  all  the  littleness  of  one's  nature  in  the  valley 
below.  With  the  wide  view,  and  the  pure,  fresh 
breeze,  one's  thoughts  and  ideas  seem  to  expand  and 
become  elevated — to  be  freer  and  better.  The  Jews 
always  built  their  altars  on  '  high  places.' 

"  The  long  and  miserable  time  we  spent  in  the 
forest,  with  no  view  whatever,  was  still  fresh  in  my 
memory,  and  no  doubt  strengthened  the  feeling  of 
pleasure  I  always  felt  at  being  able  to  climb  a  hill 
and  look  round  the  country." 

For  several  days  after  his  arrival  great  numbers 
of  people  came  in  to  see  Emin,  and  to  congratulate 
him  on  his  release  from  prison.  Officers,  inter- 
preters, and  native  chiefs  all  flocked  in  to  assure 
him  of  their  loyalty,  and  express  their  pleasure  at 
once  more  seeinof  him  amonof  them.  Old  chief 
Wadelai  came  in  and  brought  a  present  of  a  huge 
tusk  of  ivory  ;  he  was  made  quite  happy  by  a  present 
of  a  green  glass  tumbler  in  return.  He  looked  as 
fat  and  jolly  as  ever. 

Emin  had  plenty  to  do,  for  there  was  a  good  deal 
of  sickness  from  some  unknown  cause,  and  a  kind  of 
pneumonia  was  raging   like  an  epidemic   in  the 


296 


Emin  Pasha. 


station.  Kodi  Aga  was  suddenly  struck  down  with 
it,  and  sent  for  Emin  to  come  and  doctor  him.  I 
went  with  Emin,  who  was  much  touched  by  the 
way  Kodi  Aga  repeatedly  kissed  his  ha'nds,  and 
kept  telling  him  how  glad  he  Avas  to  have  him  back 
again. 

This  feeling  was  perfectly  genuine,  and  Kodi  Aga 
really  meant  what  he  said  from  the  bottom  of  his 
heart,  but  this  with  all  the  people  never  led  to 
anything ;  it  never  made  them  come  forward  and 
help  him  when  he  really  needed  them.  We  heard 
many  stories  of  what  the  rebels  had  done  when  they 
first  came  to  Wadelai. 

Dozens  of  people  came  to  see  Emin  every  day, 
and  made  all  sorts  of  protestations  to  him  of  their 
devotion  and  loyalty;  they  all  said  how  miserable 
they  had  been  at  what  went  on  at  Dufile,  but  that 
they  had  not  dared  to  do  anything,  as  they  were 
afraid  of  having  their  houses  looted,  and  being  im- 
prisoned. These  protestations  were,  of  course,  quite 
valueless,  at  least  to  me,  coming  as  they  did  when 
everything  was  over ;  had  these  people  behaved  as 
they  said  they  wished  to  have  done,  and  acted 
tolerably  firmly  at  first,  the  rebellion  might  have 
been  crushed  at  its  outset, — it  could  not  have  lasted 
a  week. 

The  Khedive  steamer  returned  the  day  after  we 
reached  Wadelai,  in  order  to  bring  fresh  refugees  to 
the  southern  stations.  We  were  all  anxiously  look- 
ing for  her  return  to  hear  what  was  the  news,  for  we 
knew  the  Donagla  would  in  all  probability  follow  up 
their  victory  at  Rejaf  without  much  delay. 

For  six  or  seven  days  we  heard  nothing;  things  at 


Empty  Prolestations. 


Wadelai  Tvere  going  on  comfortably  and  quietly. 
Emin  was  busy  with  the  sick,  and  ineffably  Happy  in 
his  liberty,  and  in  the  feeling  that  he  could  again  be 
at  work  among  his  people.  The  forced  inaction  of 
his  trying  im])risonment  had  been  one  of  the  hardest 
things  to  bear,  and  he  was  never  so  happy  as  when 
going  about  at  Wadelai  and  tending  the  sick.  No- 
thing seemed  to  tire  him,  and  nothing  concerning 
the  Avelfare  of  his  people  Avas  too  much  trouble.  He 
seemed  quite  to  have  forgotten  and  forgiven  all 
that  they  had  done  to  him,  and  thoroughly  believed 
in  their  renewed  protestations  of  loyalty.  I  was 
more  sceptical  about  it  all ;  but  I  was  different,  for 
I  did  not  love  his  people.  To  this  day  I  am  certain 
they  were  really  glad  to  have  him  back,  only  it 
meant  nothing,  for  I  knew  that  if  anything  happened, 
we  could  never  rely  on  them  to  help  us  in  the  smallest 
degree. 

However,  those  few  days  following  his  release 
were  very  happy  ones  to  Emin  ;  the  station  was 
quiet,  and  the  soldiers  well  behaved. 

Our  position  was  in  many  ways  more  dangerous 
than  before,  for  although  we  were  at  liberty,  and 
could  retire  if  anything  happened,  still  there  was 
now  nothing  between  Rejaf  and  Dufile  to  check  the 
coming  of  the  Donagla,  and  if  Dufile  fell  the  whole 
country  was  lost.  No  one,  however  would  look  at 
this  contingency,  and  studiously  avoided  even  think- 
ing of  it,  and  seemed  only  to  rest  content  that 
things  were  quiet  in  the  station  after  the  long 
interval  of  confusion  and  lawlessness. 

Here  is  another  extract  from  my  journal  written  at 
that  time. 


298 


Emin  Pasha. 


"  It  is  most  surprising  that  neither  steamer  has 
yet  returned  here,  and  we  are  all  beginning  to  get 
anxious  about  their  non-arrival.  All  things  are 
possible  just  now,  for  we  do  not  know  what  may 
have  happened.  Suliman  Aga  promised  to  be  at 
Wadelai  in  a  few  days,  with  the  Khedive  stealner,  to 
take  the  Pasha,  Casati,  and  myself  up  to  Tunguru 
with  him.  He  is  now  several  days  over-due.  It  is 
quite  possible,  while  we  are  quietly  resting  here  in 
fancied  security,  that  we  may  wake  up  one  fine 
morning  to  find  the  Donagla  are  at  our  very  gates, 
and  that  they  have  come  accompanied  by  another 
party  in  the  steamers." 

Emin  had  given  his  word  that  we  would  not  move 
from  Wadelai,  but  would  wait  for  Suliman  Aga's 
coming.  We  could  only  therefore  wait  for  him 
patiently,  though  somewhat  anxiously. 

I  went  out  shooting  teal  and  duck,  of  which 
there  used  to  be  a  good  many  in  the  swamps  near 
the  station ;  but  the  ticks  which  infested  the  grass 
used  to  cover  one's  legs,  and  I  had  to  give  up  going 
out.  After  coming  in  one  day  from  shooting,  my 
boy  took  fifty-eight  off  my  legs  and  feet.  They 
were  very  small,  and  buried  their  heads  in  the  flesh, 
and  it  was  quite  impossible  to  take  them  off  with  the 
hands,  it  was  necessary  to  use  tweezers.  They  lived 
in  the  grasses,  which  were  at  that  time  very  high 
and  dry,  and  until  the  grass  was  burnt  off  it  was 
impossible  to  go  out.  The  bites  of  these  little  ticks 
always  produced  great  swelling,  for  often  in  pulling 
them  off  with  the  tweezers  the  heads  were  left  in, 
and  the  irritation  caused  by  them  was  sometimes 
sufficient  to  bring  on  a  strong  fever  for  several  days. 


Improvement  of  the  Negro.  299 


Emin  was  turning  over  his  boxes,  carefully  packing 
up  his  collections  of  birds,  and  discarding  all  the 
useless  things,  preparatory  to  making  a  start  imme- 
diately on  Stanley's  arrival  at  the  lake.  Such  a  col- 
lection of  rubbish  as  had  accumulated  during  all  the 
years  that  he  had  been  in  the  Province ! 

In  turning  out  his  boxes  of  letters  he  came  upon 
one  from  Dr.  Junker,  which  he  showed  me.  In  it 
he  said,  that  after  all  the  years  he  had  been  in  Africa 
he  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  natives  were 
incapable  of  ever  rising  to  any  extent.  That  the  only 
thing  for  Europeans  to  do  was  to  try  to  improve  their 
condition,  and  that  a  mild  treatment  would  never 
answer  with  them.  He  concluded,  "  They  must  be 
ruled  by  fear."  This  was  pretty  strong,  and  I  think 
not  true,  though  perhaps  it  was  partly  so. 

There  was  at  the  time  he  Avrote  a  strong  feeling  in 
Germany  against  the  negroes,  which  was  as  unjust  in 
its  low  estimate  of  them,  as  the  feeling  in  England 
was  exaggerated  in  its  admiration  of  their  supposed 
virtues  and  capabilities.  It  seems  to  me  the  just 
estimation  of  their  character  lies  between  the  two 
opinions.  I  do  not  think  the  negroes  would  ever 
become  a  great  nation  capable  of  governing  them- 
selves as  Europeans  understand  government.  But  I 
do  not  see  why  people  should  expect  or  even  want  to 
Europeanize  negroes.  That  they  could,  by  education, 
become  immensely  higher  and  better  than  they  are, 
is  a  fact  which  must  be  patent  to  any  one  who  knows 
anything  about  Africa  and  the  negroes.  The  negro 
has  traits  in  his  character  quite  apart,  and  often  finer 
in  their  way  than  those  of  Europeans  ;  it  is  better 
to  educate  and  foster  those  traits,  and  leave  him 


30O 


Emin  Pasha. 


a  negro  still  with  all  his  own  peculiar  individuality, 
but  educated  and  enlightened.  Improve  and  train 
him,  but  never  try  to  Europeanize  him, — the  trial  has 
always  proved  a  failure  Most  of  the  mission  boys  T 
have  seen  are  a  servile  worthless  lot,  talking  a  good 
deal  about  Jesus  Christ,  but  not  liking  work.  I 
would  put  forward  my  idea  with  all  humility,  and  as 
a  mere  suggestion,  that  missionaries  should  not  allow 
their  mission  children  to  copy  the  manners  and  cus- 
toms of  Europeans,  nor  even  to  allow  them  to  dress 
in  European  clothes.  Anything  more  painfully  ludi- 
crous than  a  negro  dressed  in  European  clothes,  and 
aping  European  manners  and  phrases,  it  is  difficult 
to  imagine.  They  look  so  much  nicer  in  their  own 
clothes,  or  even  in  manufactured  European  cloth  worn 
in  the  loose  fashion  of  the  country,  which  is  far  more 
suited  to  them  and  the  country  than  European  clothes. 
I  remember  talking  to  a  negro  in  Usongo.  He  was 
a  good  fellow,  and  tolerably  well  educated,  and 
I  should  say  thoroughly  trustworthy.  He  was,  how- 
ever, dressed  in  European  clothes,  and  looked  most 
uncomfortable  and  out  of  place  in  them,  as  well  as 
exceedingly  awkward.  I  was  talking  to  him  about 
railways,  and  he  quite  agreed  with  me  in  thinking 
what  a  good  thing  it  would  be  when  the  arid  and 
the  fever-stricken  band  which  closes  in  Central 
Africa  was  once  bridged  over,  and  a  quick  road 
opened  to  the  healthy  and  fertile  lands  of  the  interior. 
He  said,  "  I  trust  that  when  the  railway  is  made  that 
Jesus  Christ  will  come  up  with  it."  He  meant 
nothing  irreverent,  nor  did  he  mean  it,  I  am  sure,  in  a 
canting  way.  It  was  only  that  he  had,  to  a  certain 
degree,  become  Europeanized,  and  he  did  not  under- 


Trade,  the  great  Civilizer.  301 

stand  the  fitness  of  things  connected  with  European 
ways  and  phrases. 

Trade,  it  seems  to  me,  will  be  one  of  the  best  and 
strongest  civilizing  influences  in  Africa,  for  it  must 
develop  the  resources  of  the  country.  As  soon  as  the 
natives  once  find  there  is  a  ready  market  for  their 
produce,  they  will  cultivate  and  open  up  the  country. 
At  present  each  native  only  grows  just  enough  to 
support  his  family,  and  all  his  spare  time  is  taken  up 
in  idling  or  quarrelling  with  his  neighbours.  When 
he  has  more  worldly  possessions,  and  a  greater 
stake  in  the  country,  he  will  think  twice  before  he 
makes  war  upon  his  neighbours  on  every  little  paltry 
disagreement.  He  will  have  something  to  lose,  and 
will  therefore  be  more  careful. 

At  the  same  time,  I  would  like  to  see  a  better  class 
of  goods  brought  into  Africa,  than  the  cheap,  tawdry 
Manchester  cotton  cloths,  which  are  now  introduced 
in  exchange  for  native  produce.  I  shall  never  forget 
the  feeling  of  shame  I  felt  when  I  saw  for  the  first 
time  the  miserable  flimsy  cloth  we  brought  with  us 
on  the  Expedition  to  give  to  the  natives.  It  was  no 
fault  of  ours,  for  we  were  obliged  to  bring  what  was 
in  demand  in  the  country  as  money.  But  it  is  not 
much  to  the  credit  of  the  Manchester  merchants  that 
they  should  manufacture  such  rubbish. 

Even  without  contact  with  civilization,  certain 
peoples  and  tribes  have  become  very  much  better  than 
their  neighbours. 

For  instance,  the  people  of  Uganda  are,  in  their 
way,  nearer  civilization  than  the  people  of 
Unyoro,  who  are,  in  their  turn,  much  higher  than 
the  surrounding   tribes.     Whilst   the   natives  on 


302 


Emin  Pasha. 


the  plains  around  Kavalli's  are  certainly  higher  than 
the  people  near  Fort  Bodo  in  Ibwiri.  The  lowest 
people  we  have  seen  are,  I  should  say,  the  bush  natives 
of  the  Upper  Aruwimi,  about  the  village  of  Avey- 
sheba,  who  were,  judging  from  the  appearance  of  the 
men  we  killed,  a  small,  stunted,  and  degenerate  race. 

Emin  told  me  one  of  the  things  a  traveller  notices 
when  he  enters  Uganda  is  the  cleanness  of  the  people 
and  of  their  dwellings,  as  well  as  the  goodness  of 
their  roads  andthe  improved  cultivation.  Their  house- 
hold utensils,  jars,  baskets,  etc.,  are  all  beautifully 
made,  and  their  bark  cloth  is  fine,  and  made  in  con- 
siderable quantities.  Unyoro  is  the  same  in  a  lesser 
degree.  The  natives  round  Kavalli's  make  good  huts, 
and  wear  skins  particularly  well  cured,  and  the 
women  are  well  behaved  and  modest.  From  Kaval- 
lis  the  natives  seem  to  descend  in  the  social  scale 
until  Aveysheba,  where  the  lowest  point  is  reached. 

Certain  it  is  that  if  the  negroes  ever  become  a 
great  nation  they  will  have  a  glorious  country  to 
develop. 

Emin  told  me  he  alwa3"s  had  an  idea  of  importing 
Chinese  into  the  country  as  labourers,  and  had  had  a 
very  interesting  correspondence  with  Gordon  on  the 
subject,  when  he  was  Grovernor-G-eneral  at  Khartoum. 
Gordon,  however,  whilst  admitting  the  justice  of  his 
ideas,  objected  on  the  plea  that  the  Chinese  were  the 
most  immoral  people  under  the  sun,  and  therefore 
refused  to  further  such  a  plan. 

I  had  had  such  hopes  about  bringing  Emin's 
people  out  with  us,  and  settling  them  in  a  country 
near  the  Victoria  lake.  Emin  had  written  of  it  to 
Nubar  Pasha,  and  many  of  his  people  desired  it  ;  it 


JVorlh/essness  of  tJie  Egyptian  Officers.  303 

seemed  that  it  would  have  been  the  best  thing  for 
Emin's  people,  and  the  best  for  Egypt  as  well,  for 
had  all  the  Khedive's  subjects  in  government  employ 
come  out  with  us  to  Egypt,  there  would  have  been 
arrears  in  their  wages  for  many  years  to  pay,  which 
would  amount  to  no  less  a  sum  than  £350,000,  and 
how  could  such  a  sum  be  raised  in  Egypt  ? 

This  rebellion  had,  however,  put  a  stop  to  all 
thoughts  of  carrying  out  Emin's  scheme,  nor  would 
I  now,  knowing  what  a  lot  of  brigands  Emin's 
people  were,  ever  help  to  turn  them  into  a  new  country 
among  a  lot  of  helpless  natives.  Every  place 
they  went  to  with  their  thin  veneer  of  civilization, 
and  all  the  vices  and  idleness  of  the  Turks,  they 
ruined.  They  would  soon  have  turned  any  beautiful 
country  into  a  hell  upon  earth.  What  a  pity  it  was 
that  Baker,  Gordon,  and  Emin  should  have  had  such 
material  as  this  to  deal  with  !  and  what  a  glorious 
country  might  have  been  made  if  only  the  Turkish 
and  Egyptian  influence  could  have  been  kept  out  ! 
The  great  work  these  three  men  did  with  so  much 
labour  and  loss  of  life  was  lost  entirely  on  account 
of  the  worthless  tools  they  were  obliged  to  use,  and 
by  the  corruptness  of  the  Egyptian  Government.  It 
was  like  trying  to  make  ropes  with  sand,  for  the 
whole  machinery  by  which  the  Province  was  worked 
was  rotten,  and  had  corruption  for  the  main  spring. 
I  know  Gordon  and  Emin  many  a  time  deplored  the 
quality  of  the  miserable  material  they  were  obliged 
to  work  with,  and  doubtless  Baker  did  the  same ; 
the  old  adage  held  true,  that  silk  purses  have  nothing 
in  common  with  hog's  hair.  The  coming  of  the 
Donagla,  too,  would  for  a  long  time  close  the  road 


304 


Emm  Pasha. 


to  some  of  the  richest  countries, — the  countries  of 
Makraka,  Monbuttu,  Latooka,  and  I  may  add,  Niam- 
Niam,  for  doubtless  the  Mahdi's  people  would  over- 
run all  that  country,  and  will  depopulate  it  by  slave- 
raiding,  drain  it  of  ivory,  and  ruin  it  by  insufficient 
cultivation.  Unless  something  is  done  there  seems 
no  knowing  where  Mahdism  will  stop.  It  is  quite 
possible  the  movement  may  extend  south  till  it 
reaches  the  Zanzibar  Arabs  of  Manyema,  who  are 
gradually  working  up  to  the  north. 

We  were  still  waiting  anxiously  for  a  steamer  to 
arrive,  and  in  consequence  of  a  report  we  heard  from 
Tunguru  and  M'swa,  Kodi  Aga  sent  a  letter  to 
Suliman  Aga,  at  Dufile,  by  the  hands  of  some  native 
interpreters,  urging  him  to  come  as  soon  as  possible 
and  take  charge  of  Tunguru,  to  which  station  he  had 
been  re-appointed. 

The  report  was  that  the  Irregulars  at  Tunguru 
and  M'swa  were  conspiring  to  burn  the  stations, 
and  make  their  way  across  country  to  join  their 
countrymen,  the  Donagla,  in  Rejaf.  The  Irregu- 
lars in  these  two  stations  were  in  the  majority,  and, 
to  add  to  the  danger,  a  clerk  named  Tybe  Effendi, 
himself  from  Dongola,  and  known  to  be  friendly  to 
the  Mahdi's  people,  was  at  Tunguru.  He  was  one 
of  those  who  had  been  most  active  against  Emin, 
and  had  been  sent  by  Selim  Aga  to  Tunguru  from 
Dufile,  to  get  him  out  of  reach  of  the  Donagla,  when 
they  defeated  the  soldiers  at  Rejaf.  He  was  a  born 
intriguer,  and  it  was  quite  possible  he  might  do 
incalculable  mischief.  The  Irregulars  in  the  beginning 
of  the  rebellion  had  been  very  much  cowed  and 
frightened  by  the  attitude  of  the  Regular  soldiers 


More  News  of  the  Donagla. 


305 


towards  them,  but  on  the  coming  of  the  Donagla  and 
their  frequent  defeat  of  the  Regulars,  they  had  been 
getting  more  and  more  self-asserting.  A  party  of 
soldiers  was  sent  to  Tunguru  to  bring  back  Tybe 
Effendi  to  AVadelai.  There  seemed  to  be  no  end  to 
the  complications  in  this  country ;  troubles  of  all 
descriptions  were  constantly  rising  on  all  sides, 
troubles  nearly  always  connected  with  treachery  and 
rebellion. 

Meantime  no  news  had  arrived  from  Dufile,  and 
we  were  beginning  to  think  of  moving  on  overland 
to  Tunguru,  and  not  waiting  any  longer  for  Suliman 
Aga,  for  we  felt  that  the  Donagla  could  not  fail  soon 
to  follow  up  their  victory.  The  only  thing  was  to 
get  Emin  to  move. 

On  December  1st  we  heard  a  rumour  of  the 
approach  of  the  Donagla,  and  on  that  date  I  find  the 
following  entry  in  my  journal  : — 

"  To-day  we  heard  news  from  the  natives  that  a 
large  party  of  the  Donagla  had  come  from  Bahr  el 
Grhazal,  and  had  attacked  and  defeated  the  people  in 
Makraka.  They  fled  to  a  mountain  called  Gebel 
"\Yati,  on  the  road  between  Makraka  and  here.  They 
were  followed  by  the  Donagla,  who  again  defeated 
them  and  established  themselves  on  the  mountain, 
which  is  only  two  and  a  half  days'  march  from  this 
station.  TVe  know  from  Omar  Saleh's  letter  that 
Osman  Adem  commands  the  Mahdi's  forces  in 
Bahr  el  Ghazal,  and  that  with  him  is  Keremallah, 
the  general  whom  the  Pasha  defeated  in  Amadi 
four  years  ago ;  so  it  is  likely  he  is  burning  to 
avenge  the  trick  played  upon  him  then,  and  his 
subsequent  defeat.    If  the  news  is  true  the  situation 


306 


Emm  Pasha. 


is  indeed  grave,  for  of  course,  it  must  be  a  precon- 
certed arrangement  with  the  people  of  Rejaf .  One 
believes  this  rumour  more  readily  because  it  has 
always  been  a  source  of  surprise  to  us  that  the 
Donagla  at  Rejaf  have  not  followed  up  either  of 
their  two  victories.  It  seems  evident,  therefore,  that 
they  were  waiting  for  their  people  in  Bahr  el  Ghazal 
to  join  them,  and  intend  to  act  in  concert  with  them. 
It  is  possible,  too,  that  an  attack  has  been  made  on 
Dufile,  and  the  steamers  have  been  taken,  and  they 
have  decided  to  march  down  on  us  from  Gebel  Wati, 
and  at  the  same  time  send  up  the  steamers  from 
Dufile  to  attack  us  by  water  simultaneously. 

"  "VYe  can  never  hold  out  against  them  here  unless 
the  soldiers  were  very  courageous  and  steady,  which 
they  are  not.  Moreover,  Wadelai  is  not  well  de- 
fended ;  there  is,  it  is  true,  a  ditch  all  round  the 
station,  but  owing  to  the  nature  of  the  soil,  which  is 
all  rocks  and  gravel,  it  has  been  impossible  to  cut 
very  deep  and  make  the  ditch  an  effective  defence. 
Besides,  the  station  is  far  too  large  to  hold.  If 
Wadelai  is  lost  Tunguru  also  goes,  and  M'swa  will 
quickly  follow,  and  then  the  whole  country  will  be 
in  the  hands  of  the  Donagla.  How  fearfully  time 
has  been  frittered  away  !  Had  the  retiring  policy 
been  carried  out  energetically,  both  TTadelai  and 
Dufile  might  by  this  time  have  been  evacuated,  and 
we  might  all  now  have  been  safely  massed  at 
Tunguru  and  M'swa,  where  we  might  have  held  out 
against  the  Donagla. 

"  It  is  maddening  to  see  how  these  people  work, 
or  rather  how  they  do  not  work, — they  stand  when 
they  ought  to  run,  and  run  like  hares  when  they 


Egyptian  Effrontery . 


ought  to  stand  and  face  the  enemy.  They  are  truly 
what  my  boy  Binza  calls  them,  '  watu  m'bovu,'  a 
'  rotten  people,'  it  describes  them  exactly.  I  have 
spoken  strongly  to  Emin  of  the  expediency  of  at  once 
retiring  by  land,  and  Captain  Casati  is  also  of  my 
opinion.  I  would,  I  hope,  be  one  of  the  last  people 
to  advocate  a  retreat  if  it  were  possible  to  do  any 
good  by  remaining  here.  But  it  is  agreed  on  all 
sides  that  defence  is  impossible,  therefore  what  can 
be  the  good  of  staying  here  to  be  taken  prisoners  ? 
It  can  benefit  nobody.  Men  have  been  sent  out 
to  find  if  the  Gebel  "Wati  report  is  true,  and  if 
we  find  it  is  so,  my  advice  to  Emin  is  to  start  at 
once,  and  make  for  Imandi,  a  place  on  the  edge  of 
the  forest,  just  on  the  other  side  of  the  Ituri.  We 
should  therefore  have  a  large  tract  of  land  and  the 
Ituri  River  between  us  and  the  Donagla,  and  should 
be  only  six  days  from  Fort  Bodo.  There  we  can 
wait  for  Stanley's  arrival,  and  when  he  joins  us, 
strike  south  east,  so  avoiding  going  near  this 
country.    AVith  fifty  guns  we  could  easily  do  this." 

"  On  hearing  the  rumour  of  the  Donagla  being  at 
Gebel  ATati,  an  Egyptian  officer  came  in  to  see  Emin, 
and  told  him  the  people  were  greatly  frightened  by 
the  news,  and  by  the  non-arrival  of  the  steamers. 
He  added,  '  Of  course  you  are  responsible  for  us  all, 
and  cannot  abandon  us,  we  came  from  Egypt  by  the 
orders  of  the  Government  to  serve  under  you,  and 
you  must  look  after  us.' 

"  The  Pasha  answered,  '  Indeed  !  You  seem  to 
forget  that  I  have  a  paper  in  which  it  is  written  that 
the  officers  have  deposed  me,  and  no  longer  desire 
me  to  interfere  with  the  affairs  of  Government,  or  to 

X  2 


3o8 


Emin  Pasha. 


be  their  Governor  ;  this  paper  was  written  at  Dufile, 
and  was  signed  by  you  all.' 

"  '  Oh  !  '  said  the  Egyptian,  '  that  was  all  non- 
sense.' 

"  '  Nonsense  or  not,'  answered  the  Pasha,  '  I  was 
kept  in  prison  for  three  months,  and  had  1  been  free, 
and  allowed  to  act,  we  should  never  have  been  in  this 
predicament,  so  I  have  absolutely  no  responsibility 
now.'  " 

There  is  no  measuring  Egyptian  effrontery  !  The 
position  the  country  was  in,  was  entirely  due  to  them, 
and  yet  these  people  wished  to  shift  the  responsibility 
on  to  the  Mudir's  shoulders  when  they  found  them- 
selves in  a  fix.  It  was  far  better  that  they  should 
be  swallowed  up  in  the  Soudan,  than  that  we  should 
take  such  a  worthless  lot  of  scoundrels  to  Egypt. 
I  here  quote  again  from  my  journal  : — 
"  In  the  afternoon  all  the  soldiers  marched  up  to 
Emin's  compound,  and  drew  up  in  line  in  front  of  his 
house,  and  he  went  out  to  see  what  they  wanted. 
There  were  no  officers,  only  soldiers  and  non- 
commissioned officers.  On  the  Pasha's  coming  out, 
the  non-commissioned  officers  stepped  forward,  and 
told  him  what  they  wanted,  the  soldiers  keeping  up 
a  running  chorus  to  all  that  was  said.  They  wished 
the  Pasha  to  take  up  his  position  asMudir  once  more, 
saying,  '  A  ship  without  a  pilot  is  lost.'  They 
went  on  to  say  that  since  he  had  been  deposed 
everything  had  gone  wrong,  nothing  was  done,  and 
discipline  was  not  kept  up.  The  people  from  Dufile 
had  come  here  and  made  mischief,  and  if  they  came 
again  they  would  meet  with  a  hot  reception,  for  now 
the  people  of  Wadelai  knew  what  mischief  they  had 


Deputation  of  Soldiers. 


309 


done,  and  how  incapable  they  were  of  taking  over 
the  Government   of   the  country.    They  ended  by 
saying  that  the  Pasha  was  their  father  and  Governor, 
and  he  must  look  after  them  and  get  them  out  of  this 
scrape.    Emin  answered  them  with  a  long  oration. 
He  told  them  he  was  unable  to  take  command  as 
before,  he   had   given   his   word  to  the  people  of 
Dufile  that  he  would  not  do  so,  and  he  was  unable  to 
break  his  word.    He,  however,  as  they  knew,  went 
every  day  to  Kodi  Aga  to  hear  what  was  going  on 
and  to  give  him  advice.    They  knew,  had  he  chosen 
to  desert  them  when  Dr.  Junker  left  the  country,  that 
he  could  have  done  so,  but  that  he  had  no  wish  to  do 
such  a  thing.    Where  they  were,  he  was  with  them. 
But,  he  added,  if  I  tell  you  some  evening  that  we 
must  retire,  you  must  not  contradict  me,  but  must 
be  ready  to  start  the  very  next  morning.    Of  course 
all  the  soldiers  declared  vehemently  they  would  be 
ready  to  start  when  he  told  them  ;  and  equally  of 
course  I  knew  they  never  would  do  it,  but  would 
dawdle  and  dawdle  until  everything  was  lost.  The 
soldiers  then  retired,  happy  in  the  feeling  that  they 
might  leave  everything  in  Emin's  hands  ;  that  he  had 
made  himself  responsible  for  their  safety,  and  that 
they  had  nothing  to  do  now  but  to  eat  and  sleep. 
Emin  did  not  say  a  single  word  of  his  real  intentions, 
which  are  to  leave  here  as  soon  as  ever  he  can, 
taking  with  him  such  people  as  have  been  faithful 
to  him  throughout  the  rebellion,  leaving  the  rest  to 
follow  or  stay  as  they  pleased.    They  will  be  able  to 
get  out  just  as  easily  as  we  shall,  if  they  really  wish 
it,  but  he  does  not  intend  to  make  himself  responsible 
for  their  safety,  and  if  they  lag  behind  and  dawdle 


Emin  Pasha. 


on  the  road  they  will  be  lost.  Such  treatment  is 
much  more  considerate  than  these  people  deserve. 
He  has,  however,  told  them  he  gives  advice  to  Kodi 
Aga,  and  of  course,  if  he  does  that  he  makes  himself 
responsible  in  their  eyes  for  the  advice  given,  and 
by  doing  this  makes  it  much  harder  for  himself  to 
get  out.  Besides,  his  speech  has  raised  hopes  in  the 
minds  of  the  soldiers,  hopes  which  he  does  not 
intend  to  carry  out.  It  would  have  been  so  much 
better  if  he  had  told  them  plainly  that  the  present 
state  of  things  has  been  brought  on  by  the  rebellion 
and  by  his  imprisonment,  in  which  the  soldiers  tacitly 
acquiesced,  and  that  now  he  could  not  be  responsible 
for  anything.  He  might  have  said  he  would  do 
what  he  could  for  them,  but  was  not  able  to  be 
responsible  for  their  safety. 

"  This  movement  has  evidently  been  got  up  by  the 
officers  entirely,  they  wish  to  entrap  him  into  con» 
senting  to  get  them  out  of  the  predicament  into 
which  they  have  put  everybody. 

"  Captain  Casati  and  I  groaned  together  over  his 
speech  to  the  soldiers ;  Casati  said,  '  He  has  been  a 
good  Governor,  but  he  is  not,  and  has  not  been  good 
for  the  present  crisis,'  to  use  Casati' s  words, 
'  H  n'a  pas  de  courage.'  He  will  not  speak  out 
plainly  and  firmly,  and  say  that  the  people  must  not 
look  to  him  for  anything  now,  as  everything  has 
been  taken  out  of  his  hands.  All  through  the 
rebellion,  and  even  before,  it  has  been  the 
same. 

"  He  has  without  doubt  been  an  excellent  Gover- 
nor, and  would  be  yet,  if  things  were  going  on 
steadily  and  smoothly,  but  he  is  not  firm  enough  to 


Emins  want  of  Firmness.  311 

act  in  any  emergency.  Captain  Casati  and  myself, 
when  the  soldiers  fell  in  before  him,  implored  him 
not  to  commit  himself  in  any  way  to  them.  He 
said  he  had  no  intention  of  doing  so,  but  was  going 
to  speak  very  firmly  to  them.  But  when  he  began 
to  speak  his  words  were  by  no  means  firm,  and  he 
certainly  raised  hopes  which,  as  I  have  said  before, 
he  had  no  intention  of  carrying  out.  He  saw  after- 
wards that  Casati  and  I  did  not  like  what  he  said, 
and  told  us  he  was  afraid  of  offending  the  soldiers 
by  speaking  out  too  plainly.  No  doubt  in  treating 
with  these  people  it  is  necessary  sometimes  to  make 
a  compromise.  But  these  are  no  times  now  for  making 
compromises  ;  now  is  the  time  for  plain  speaking, 
and  very  soon,  if  I'm  not  mistaken,  it  will  be  a  case 
of  Sauve  qui  pent.  If  Stanley  were  here  he  would 
very  soon  bring  them  to  their  true  bearings. 
The  Pasha  perfectly  agrees  when  I  say  he  has 
nothing  to  thank  his  soldiers  for,  and  yet  he  says  he 
does  not  blame  them  for  what  has  happened  in  this 
rebellion.  He  admits  that  the  soldiers  are  the  only 
real  power  in  the  country,  and  had  they  acted  for 
him,  no  rebellion  could  have  taken  place.  Yet  he 
does  not  blame  them  for  standing  by  and  seeing  him 
imprisoned,  because  he  says  that  they  themselves  have 
never  done  any  violent  act !  Why,  the  very  sentries 
in  front  of  his  door  at  Dufile  were  not  only  acquies- 
cing, but  were  taking  an  active  part  in  the  rebellion  ! 
I  cannot  understand  such  reasoning  ;  it  seems  to  me 
in  such  a  case  the  words  of  Scripture  might  be  ap- 
plied with  great  justice.  '  He  that  is  not  with  Me  is 
against  Me,  and  he  that  gathereth  not,  scattereth.' 
There  can  be  no  half-measures  in  a  rebellion,  people 


312 


Emin  Pasha. 


cannot  remain  neutral,  they  must  be  on  one  side  or 
the  other.  All  these  things  are  perfectly  maddening. 
Emin  would  in  reality  do  his  people  a  much  greater 
kindness  if  he  spoke  to  them  more  firmly  and  stiffly; 
they  would  then  wake  up  to  the  fact  that  they  must 
help  themselves  and  not  dawdle  about  till  all  is 
lost." 

In  the  evening,  Emin,  Casati,  and  I  talked  the 
affair  over,  and  all  agreed  it  was  a  pity  that  the 
soldiers  had  come  up.  It  was  plain  that  both  officers 
and  men  wished  to  force  the  Mudir  again  into  a 
position  of  responsibility,  not  particularly  because 
they  wanted  him  for  a  Mudir,  but  because  they  were 
afraid  of  what  was  likely  to  happen,  and  thought  if 
he  were  again  at  the  head  of  affairs,  he  might  be  able 
to  get  them  out  of  the  scrape,  and  save  them  the 
trouble  of  thinking  or  doing  anything. 

Emin  again  said  that  he  did  not  like  to  speak  too 
plainly  to  the  soldiers  for  fear  of  estranging  them 
from  him,  and  he  might  yet  want  their  help.  I  told 
him,  when  the  soldiers  had  assured  him  they  would 
obey  him  promptly  wlien  he  gave  the  order  to  move, 
that  it  was  all  nonsense,  they  would  never  stand  by 
him  when  he  needed  them.  He  answered,  "  Mr. 
Jephson,  I  have  known  my  people  for  thirteen  years, 
you  have  only  known  them  for  seven  months,  allow 
me  to  know  them  best."  "  Very  well.  Pasha,"  I 
replied,  shrugging  my  shoulders,  "  iVows  veiTons."  It 
was  quite  hopeless  to  try  to  make  Emin  understand 
that  his  people  were  not  to  be  trusted,  for  if  anything 
bad  was  done  by  them,  and  they  afterwards  came  up 
to  express  their  sorrow  for  having  done  so,  and 
assure  him  of  their  devoted  attachment  to  him,  and 


Achmet  Effendi  Raif. 


313 


promised  implicit  obedience  for  the  future,  he  was 
always  ready  to  forgive  and  believe  in  them  again. 
Certainly,  for  so  clever  a  man,  he  learnt  wonderfully 
little  from  experience. 

The  morning  following  the  deputation  of  soldiers, 
Emin  went  to  Kodi  Aga  and  told  him  that  he  wished 
for  no  more  such  demonstrations.  People  were  at 
this  time  being  sent  in  in  small  bands  overland  to 
Tunguru  by  Emin's  advice,  and  the  refugees  from 
the  northern  stations,  who  had  been  sent  down  to 
AVadelai,  were  gradually  being  drafted  to  the 
southern  stations.  But  Kodi  Aga  complained  that 
even  now  they  did  not  wish  to  retire  to  Tun- 
guru, and  many  of  them  had  refused  to  go  when 
ordered  to  start,  though  native  carriers  were  in 
readiness  to  carry  their  goods.  Emin  told  him  that 
those  who  refused  to  obey  his  orders  should  be  put 
in  prison.  Accordingly,  Achmet  Effendi  Raif,  a 
scoundrelly  clerk,  was  put  in  prison  for  refusing  to 
leave  the  station.  He  was  a  most  contemptible  little 
creature,  and  had  been  one  of  Emin's  most  bitter 
enemies  in  the  Council  at  Dufile.  Now,  neither  the 
rebel  officers  or  any  of  the  people  liked  him,  he  had 
sold  all  his  things  for  drink,  and  was  now  "  hounded 
about  like  a  stray  tyke,"  and  no  one  cared  to  help 
him.  He  was  an  Egyptian,  and  almost  a  dwarf,  and 
was  always  in  the  most  tattered  dirty  state.  He  had 
a  low  cunning  face,  his  legs  were  much  bowed  and 
his  feet  were  turned  in.  The  pictures  of  Quilp 
always  recurred  to  my  mind  whenever  I  saw  him. 
He  would  have  made  a  good  subject  for  some  artist 
who  wished  to  paint  an  ideal  of  all  that  was  low, 
vicious,  vindictive,  and  contemptible,  clothed  in  rags 


314 


Emin  Pasha. 


and  dirt.  He  was  one  of  the  valuable  people  we 
eventually  brought  out  to  Egypt  !  Osman  Latif 
came  in  during  the  day  and  insisted  that  Emm  was 
still  responsible  for  all  the  people,  and  could  not 
shirk  his  responsibility,  but  Casati  and  I  utterly 
derided  the  idea,  and  he  was  somewhat  abashed. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


FLIGHT  FROM  WADE  LAI. 

News  of  the  fall  of  the  northern  stations  —  Council  of  War  held— 
Soldiers  implore  Emm  to  take  charge  of  them — Flight  decided 
on — We  prepare  for  the  flight — We  throw  away  our  treasures — 
I  disable  the  Adcance — Binza,  a  regidar  character — Our  flight 
from  Wadelai — Desertion  of  the  soldiers  -  Strange  baggage 
of  the  fugitives — Heart-rending  scene  at  the  river — Curious  ideas 
about  evacuation — We  camp — Arrival  of  the  steamer — Letter 
from  Selim  Aga  Matara— Description  of  the  siege  of  Dufilc — 
Emin  decides  to  go  on — Further  particulars  of  the  siege  of 
Dufile — Cowardice  shown  by  the  soldiers — Our  narrow  escape — 
Conduct  of  soldiers  in  former  Mahdi  war — Rumours  accounted 
for — We  r^ach  Okello's — Arrival  at  Tunguru. 

Ox  the  morning  of  December  4th,  at  about  mid- 
day, a  small  party  of  soldiers,  accompanied  by  some 
women  and  cMldren,  were  seen  hurrying  along  as 
fast  as  they  could  go  on  the  other  side  of  the  river. 
As  soon  as  they  arrived  opposite  the  station  one  of 
them  began  to  make  signals  by  frantically  waving  a 
white  flag.  A  boat  was  instantly  sent  to  bring  them 
over.  They  turned  out  to  be  the  garrison  of  a  small 
station  called  Bora,  half  way  between  Dufile  and 
Wadelai.  They  had  come  in  haste  to  bring  us  the 
news  which  had  been  brought  to  them  by  some 
friendly  natives  near  Dufile,  of  the  Lur  tribe.  Hamad 
Aga,  who  was  the  chief  of  Bora,  told  us  that  Muggi 
Lahore,  Chor  Aiu  and  Dufile  had  all  fallen  before  the 
Donagla,  who  had  also  taken  Fabbo.    A  native  chief 


3i6 


Emin  Pasha. 


near  Bora  had  come  to  Hamad  Aga,  and  told  him 
that  the  interpreters  whom  we  had  sent  down  to 
Dufile  with  letters  had  been  killed  on  the  road  by 
the  Shulis,  who  had  all  risen  against  the  Turks.  He 
said  he  told  him  this,  and  the  news  also  of  the  fall  of 
the  northern  stations,  as  he  had  always  been  Emin's 
friend,  and  he  warned  Hamad  Aga  to  go  for  his  life 
and  bring  us  the  news  at  AVadelai. 

When  the  news  was  told  to  Kodi  Aga  he  summoned 
all  the  officers,  and  they  went  in  a  body  to  Emin's 
house.  Here  a  long  council  of  war  was  held,  at 
which  all  the  officers  spoke,  and  after  a  good  deal 
of  talking  it  was  decided  to  evacuate  the  station 
at  once  ;  the  non-commissioned  officers  were  also  sent 
for,  and  agreed  to  go.  The  soldiers  were  then  drawn 
up  in  Companies,  and  were  told  the  news,  and 
spoken  to  by  their  officers.  Some  few  of  them  were 
for  going,  but  the  greater  part  were  for  waiting 
for  a  few  days  to  see  if  the  news  was  confirmed. 
They  said  if  Dufile  had  fallen  refugees  would  have 
reached  Wadelai.  We  accounted  for  their  being 
none  because  all  the  natives  between  Wadelai  and 
Dufile  had  risen,  and  any  fugitives  would  probably 
have  been  cut  off.  After  talking  with  their  officers 
for  some  time,  and  being  unable  to  decide  what  to 
do,  it  was  agreed  that  the  soldiers  should  come  down 
and  see  the  Pasha.  They  came  down,  and  Emin 
reminded  them  of  their  promise  to  him  only  two 
days  before  ;  after  a  good  deal  of  quarrelling  among 
themselves,  it  was  decided  to  start  for  Tunguru  early 
the  next  morning,  and  abandon  the  station.  We 
were  to  go  to  M'swa,  and  then  take  to  the  mountains, 
and  I  was  to  show  them  the  way  to  Fort  Bodo. 


Flight  decided  on. 


3^7  ' 


The  officers  and  soldiers  all  implored  the  Pasha 
to  again  act  as  their  Governor,  and  to  take  com- 
mand of  them,  and  lead  them  in  the  flight.  He 
was  greatly  averse  to  doing  this,  out  at  the  earnest 
request  of  the  people  he  complied  with  their  wish 
on  the  sole  condition  of  implicit  obedience  on  their 
part,  otherwise  he  told  them  he  could  do  nothing. 
They  all  promised  to  obey  his  orders  promptly, 
whatever  they  were.  The  rest  of  the  afternoon  was 
spent  in  the  utmost  confusion,  selecting  such  things 
as  we  could  manage  to  carry  ;  there  were  hardly  any 
porters  to  be  got,  for  the  natives  had  heard  that 
we  were  going  to  retire,  and  would  not  obey  the 
orders  from  the  station.  We  threw  away  great 
numbers  of  things  we  were  unable  to  take. 

I  had  been  for  some  months  collecting  useful 
things,  such  as  boots,  clothes,  cotton  cloth,  tobacco, 
skin  bags,  etc.,  for  my  fellow  officers.  I  had  got 
together  quite  a  nice  little  lot  of  things,  and  was 
looking  forward  to  the  pleasure  of  giving  them  to 
them  on  Stanley's  arrival.  I  had,  however,  to 
throw  them  all  away,  so  as  to  cut  down  my  loads 
to  the  smallest  possible  dimensions  for  the  flight. 
I  had  a  particularly  good  collection  of  curiosities  of 
all  sorts  that  I  had  collected  from  the  different 
countries  in  Emin's  Province.  There  were  ivory 
hair-pins  of  strange  shapes,  bows,  arrows,  spears, 
shields,  bracelets  and  necklaces,  Bari  girdles,  made  of 
little  round  discs  of  pink  and  white  shells,  and 
aprons, — altogether  an  immense  variety  of  things. 
There  was  a  very  fine  collection  of  huge  iron  and 
copper  knives  from  Monbuttu  and  Niam-Niam,  to- 
gether with  dwarf  spears,  light  cane  stools,  and  large 


3i8 


Emin  Pasha. 


queer-shaped  iron  bells.  All  had  to  be  abandoned, 
and  I  even  had  to  throw  away  the  greater  part  of 
the  scanty  supply  of  clothes  and  boots  which  I  had 
obtained  after  so  much  trouble  and  expense  in  the 
Province. 

For  the  Pasha,  it  was  really  most  heart-rending 
to  have  to  throw  away  all  his  instruments,  sextant, 
boiling    thermometers,     aneroids,     apparatus  for 
anthropological  measurements,    and    several  other 
valuable  instruments.    His  books,   clothes,  papers, 
beads,  brass  bracelets,  and  all  the  useful  things  he 
had  saved  and  collected  for  our  people  with  so 
much  care  and  forethought,  all  had  to  be  cast  away, 
and  only  the  most  necessary  things  taken  so  as  not 
to  impede  our  flight    There  were   four   boxes  of 
stuffed  birds  which  Emin  had  collected  ;  these  were 
destined  for  the  British  Museum,  but  they  had  to 
be    all  thrown  away.    They  are  a  great  loss  to 
science,  for  there  were  many  new  and  interesting 
species  amongst  them  ;  it  went  to  Emin's  heart  to 
throw   them    away.     I  extemporized  a  hammock 
for    little    Farida    out     of     two     blankets,  and 
slung  it  on  a  large  light  bamboo.    In  an  ordinary 
way  in  Emin's  Province  women  were  carried  on 
an  angarep,  but  this    was  considered  too  heavy 
and  unwieldy  for  rapid  movement,  besides,  it  would 
have  required  four  men  to  carry  it.    The  hammock 
was  light  and  convenient,  and  did  remarkably  well. 
It  was  in  this  very  hammock,  made  out  of  two  blankets, 
that  Farida  was   eventually  carried  all  the  way  to 
the  coast. 

Everyone  was  busy  all  the  afternoon  packing  up 
a  few  necessary  things  and  discarding  the  rest> 


/  destroy  the  Advance.  3 1 9 

and  though  it  had  only  been  decided  at  three  o'clock 
that  afternoon  to  evacuate  the  station,  all  was  ready  by 
the  evening  to  start  at  daybreak  the  following  day. 
If  we  could  once  gain  the  mountains  above  M'swa, 
we  felt  we  should  be  comparatively  safe.    But  we 


ii&£AK[KG  UP  OF  THE  Advance. 


knew  that  if  the  Donagla  followed  up  their  victories 
and  came  up  in  the  steamers  we  should  be  lost ; 
for  in  the  steamers  they  could  travel  in  one 
day  a  distance  we  could  not  do  on  foot  in  four. 
At  the  council  of  war  which  was  held  in  the  after- 


320 


Emin  Pasha. 


noon,  I  was  asked  to  destroy  our  boat,  the 
Ad  vance  which  Stanley  had  left  in  my  care,  so 
that  itraio-ht  not  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Donaela. 
We  had  no  oars  with  her,  and  no  men  to  pull  them 
if  we  had,  so  I  reluctantly  consented — I  could  not 
do  otherwise.  It  was  with  a  sore  heart  that  I  went 
down  in  the  evening  and  unscrewed  two  of  the 
sections,  and  threw  the  bolts  far  out  into  the  river. 

The  poor  old  boat  had  been  so  useful  to  us,  and 
was  still  as  good  as  new.  I  had  always  looked  after 
her,  and  she  had  been  carried  by  my  Company  of 
Zanzibaris.  It  had  been  part  of  my  work  in  the 
Expedition  to  look  after  her,  and  to  put  her  together 
or  take  her  to  pieces  when  necessary,  I  had  done 
this  numbers  of  times,  and  knew  almost  every  bolt 
and  screw  in  her.  She  had  saved  us  walking  many 
a  weary  mile  when  we  were  ill,  and  had,  some  time 
or  other,  carried  all  of  us,  when  we  had  fever  on  the 
Aruwimi.  She  had  been  a  sort  of  pilot  to  our 
flotilla,  and  with  her  Stanley  had  always  protected 
our  canoes  from  being  cut  off  or  attacked  by  the 
natives  ;  he  had  constantly  got  goats  and  food  which 
we  should  not  have  been  able  to  procure  without  her, 
and  one  felt  quite  sad  at  being  obliged  to  destroy 
her. 

There  she  lay  now,  the  poor  old  Advance,  broken 
in  three  pieces  on  the  sandy  shore  of  Wadelai.  Even 
my  three  Soudanese  orderlies,  whom  I  had  taken 
down  with  me  to  help  me  to  take  her  in  pieces,  were 
sad  at  seeing  her  broken  up,  and  said,  "  Ah,  she's 
been  a  good  friend  to  us  all."  As  for  my  boy  Binza 
he  made  a  long  lamentation  over  her,  quite  a  second 
"  By  the  waters  of  Babylon  we  sat  down  and  wept !  " 


My  servant  Binza.  321 

He  praised  her  shape  and  powers  of  goinpr,  and 
dilated  upon  the  use  she  had  been,  and  all  she  had 
done  for  us.  He  touched  pathetically  upon  what  I 
must  be  feehng  at  being  obliged  to  destroy  her,  I  who 
had  looked  after  so  long,  and  had — so  he  was  pleased 
to  say — managed  her  so  well.  He  described  the 
Zanzibaris'  sorrow  at  not  seeing  her  again,  and 
ended  with  a  neatly  rounded  moral  upon  the  whole 
thing,  a  kind  of  "  Sic  transit  gloria  mundi  !  " 

Binza  was  a  regular  character,  and  often  made  me 
laugh  by  his  quaint  remarks  upon  people  and  things. 
He  Avas  formerly  a  Niam  Niam  cannibal,  but  gave  him- 
self great  airs  of  civilization,  and  looked  down  with 
the  greatest  contempt  upon  people  whom  he  con- 
sidered inferior  to  himself  in  cultivation  and  manners. 

He  was  a  good  boy,  however,  and  was  ready  and 
willing.  He  was  a  liar,  yes  !  Most  untaught  negroes 
are.  But  all  the  time  I  had  him,  I  am  sure  he  never 
stole  a  thing  from  me,  and  in  Emin's  Province  I 
constantly  used  to  leave  my  money  about.  At  times 
he  was  possessed  of  the  devil,  and  had  fits  of  idling 
and  general  cussedness,  but  I  liked  him  exceedingly, 
and  he  was  never  impertinent.  He  was  a  general 
favourite  with  all  Emin's  people,  who  gave  him  a  good 
many  presents  of  clothes,  etc.,  he  was  also  well  liked 
by  all  our  Zanzibaris  ;  but  if  any  one  molested  or 
interfered  with  him,  he  poured  out  such  a  torrent 
of  abuse  at  them,  and  used  low  expressions  in 
Arabic  or  Ki-Swahili  which  made  one's  hair  stand  on 
end  to  listen  to.  He  was  of  the  regular  flat-nosed, 
thick-lipped  type  of  the  negroes  near  the  Niam-Niam 
country,  his  face,  too,  was  generally  flat ;  he  had  a 
sort  of  profile  like  a  currant  bun.    He  had — however 

V 


322 


Einin  Pasha. 


ugly, — a  very  nice  and  good-natured  face,  the  expres- 
sion of  whicli  showed  plainly  that  he  possessed  largely 
that  most  humanizing  of  all  influences,  the  capacity 
for  laughter. 

We  were  up  at  daybreak  on  December  5th,  and  got 
our  things  all  out  ready  for  the  start.  We  could  only 
procure  a  few  native  carriers,  and  were  by  no  means 
certain  that  these  would  not  run  away.  I  tied  up  my 
journals  in  an  old  towel,  and  carried  them  myself  ; 
determined,  whatever  I  might  lose,  I  would  stick  at 
least  to  those. 

The  first  thing  in  the  morning  the  soldiers  were  all 
marched  down  to  the  store-houses,  and  all  the  ammu- 
nition in  the  powder  magazine  was  given  out  to  them. 
There  were  about  120  soldiers,  and  each  received  60 
rounds  of  ammunition.  Each  soldier  had  before  that 
from  40  to  50  cartridges  in  his  belt,  so  that  roughly 
speaking  each  man  had  about  100  rounds  of  ammuni- 
tion. 

No  sooner  had  the  ammunition  been  served  out 
than  the  soldiers  all  refused  to  start,  saying  they  did 
not  care  about  going  with  the  Mudir,  but  intended 
going  back  to  their  own  countries,  and  no  persuasion 
on  the  part  of  their  officers  could  get  them  to  move. 

Bmin's  speech,  only  two  days  before,  about  his 
knowing  his  soldiers  after  twelve  years  residence  with 
them,  recurred  to  my  mind.  However,  it  was  no  time 
for  waiting,  and  we  started  off  without  them.  Out  of 
the  120  soldiers  only  five  accompanied  us,  I  had  my 
three  orderlies  armed  with  Remingtons,  and  my  own 
Winchester  repeating  rifle,  Emin  had  a  Remington, 
and  Marco  and  some  of  the  clerks  had  shot  guns. 
We  may  have  mustered  twenty  guns  amongst  us. 


Our  Fli(^ht. 


323 


"Women  and  children  flocked  up  to  Emin's  com- 
pound begging  to  be  carried,  for  they  declared  they 
could  not  walk.  Donkeys  were  given  to  the  old 
women  and  sick  people,  but  there  were  not  very 
many  in  the  station.  We  feared  many  women  and 
children  would  fall  by  the  way. 

I  here  quote  from  my  journal  : — 

"  We  got  off  by  seven  o'clock,  and  as  we  left  the 
station  we  could  see  a  confused  straggling  line  of 
women  and  children,  goats,  cattle  and  sheep, 
donkeys,  and  baggage  stretching  ahead  for  three 
miles.  All  was  utter  confusion  and  noise.  Some 
women  might  be  seen  hurrjring  along  with  their  goods, 
and  dragging  little  children  or  goats  after  them. 
Others  were  seated  mournfully  in  small  groups  with 
their  loads  before  them,  trying  to  soothe  the  crying  of 
their  children,  while  they  waited  for  their  fathers  or 
husbands  to  join  them.  There  were  sick  people 
who  implored  us  to  help  them  to  get  along,  and  wept 
and  wrung  their  hands  in  an  agony  of  despair  at 
being  left.  The  shouting  of  the  people  and  crying 
of  the  children,  the  lowing  and  bleating  of  cattle  and 
goats,  rose  in  a  deafening  uproar. 

"  Here  and  there  a  woman  might  be  seen  toiling 
bravely  along  with  a  huge  load  on  her  head,  a  baby 
slung  across  her  back,  and  dragging  a  small  child 
along.  It  was  a  pitiful  sight.  The  whole  road  was 
strewn  with  things  of  all  sorts,  which  they  had 
started  with  and  found  too  heavy  to  carry.  We 
passed  several  small  children,  too,  abandoned  by  the 
road  side. 

"  Some  of  the  people  took  the  queerest  things  with 
them.    I  saw  one  man  carrying  in  his  load  four 

Y  2 


324 


Emin  Pasha. 


immensely  heavy  carved  legs  of  a  bedstead,  while 
another  had  a  great  bunch  of  ostrich  feathers,  which 
he  told  me  he  had  heard  were  valuable  in  Europe. 
Another  was  carrying  a  sledge  hammer,  a  basin,  and 
a  heavy  cross-cut  saw,  whilst  others  were  carrying 
great  round  irons  for  baking  bread  on,  and  even 
grinding  stones.  Several  people  took  their  parrots, 
one  woman  had  three,  and  I  saw  one  man  carrying  a 
cat  in  a  basket.  Two  soldiers  had  the  tubes  of 
Emin's  thermometers  hanging  to  their  belts,  they 
were  under  the  impression  that  they  were  a  sort  of 
clock  by  which  they  could  tell  the  time.  I  could 
have  laughed,  only  that  I  felt  so  much  more  inclined 
to  do  the  other  thing.  It  was  so  awfully  pathetic  to 
see  these  poor  half-savage  people  with  their  loads 
stuffed  full  of  all  sorts  of  useless  rubbish,  under  the 
weight  of  which  they  were  staggering  along,  carry- 
ing or  dragging  their  poor  unfortunate  little  children 
after  them.  There  was  even  something  pathetic  in 
their  very  stupidity. 

"  At  one  place  we  had  to  cross  ^  broad  shallow 
river,  with  steep  sloping  banks  on  either  side.  Here 
a  scene  of  the  utmost  confusion  prevailed.  The  high 
bank  was  soon  churned  into  a  black  slippery  mud,  in 
which  the  women  and  children  sank  up  to  their 
knees  and  were  continually  falling.  The  press  on 
the  further  bank  was  terrible,  and  when  some  un- 
fortunate child  or  women  fell,  the  dense  mass  of 
donkeys  and  people  behind  swept  over  them  and 
trampled  them  under  foot.  It  was  perfectly  heart- 
rending to  see  them  and  hear  their  cries  for  help. 
I  stood  for  nearly  an  hour  on  one  side,  and  helped 
such  women  and  children  as  I  could,  to  climb  the 


I 


I 


I 


European  ideas  of  Evacuation. 


325 


bank.  Several  times  I  made  a  plunge  into  the  crowd 
to  save  some  woman  or  little  eliild  from  being 
trampled  to  death,  until,  sick  with  the  sight  of  it,  T 
liad  to  hurry  on  to  join  the  Pasha  at  the  head  of  the 
column.  Xothing  makes  people  so  cruel  as  fear,  and 
the  terror  that  the  Donagla  were  following  us  made 
these  people  merciless. 

"  Folks  at  home  have  a  queer  idea  of  what 
evacuation  in  these  countries  means.  They  give  a 
man  an  order  to  '  evacuate  '  much  in  the  same  way 
as  they  would  tell  him  to  eat  his  dinner,  and 
apparently  they  do  not  seem  to  think  that  one  is 
much  harder  than  the  other.  They  do  not  know  the 
time  it  takes,  the  work  it  involves,  and  the  general 
despair  of  ever  moving  the  people  that  such  an 
order  produces.  And  then,  when  they  are  at  last 
induced  to  move,  what  heart-rending  and  sickening 
sights  are  to  be  seen  every  day,  and  what  distress  and 
misery  a  wholesale  and  hurried  evacuation  makes. 

"  After  the  river  was  passed  we  got  on  a  little 
better,  but  had  to  make  frequent  halts  to  allow  the 
last  of  the  women  and  children  to  come  up.  After 
one  of  the  most  trying  and  painful  marches  I  have 
ever  made,  we  camped  at  three  o'clock,  having  done 
only  ten  miles.  The  last  of  the  column  did  not  come 
in  till  5.30.  The  disorder  during  the  march  had 
been  great,  one  lot  of  people  wished  to  camp  in 
one  place,  and  another  lot  in  some  other  spot-  But 
at  last  they  all  came  in  weary  and  footsore. 

"  From  the  last  stragglers  who  reached  camp  we 
heard  that  grent  numbers  of  people  being  tired  on  the 
march  had  returned  to  AVadelai,  so  that  our  caravan 
was  reduced  to  one  fourth  of  its  original  number.  We 


326 


Emin  Pasha. 


were  now  in  all  about  400  souls.  There  svas  a  rumour 
that  as  the  last  of  the  column  left  the  station  the 
smoke  of  the  steamers  coming  up  river  was  seen  in 
the  distance.  We  have  no  means  of  knoAvingr  the 
truth  to-night,  but  shall  probably  hear  all  about  it 
to-morrow.  If  it  is  the  Donagla  they  will  pro- 
bably come  on  us  in  the  night.  We  at  all  events 
shall  hear  some  time  to-morrow.  In  any  case  we 
go  on  now  we  have  once  started.  We  made  our 
camp  in  the  grass  and  slept  in  the  open  air,  small 
rough  huts  and  shelters  being  made  for  the  women 
and  children.    Fortunately  it  is  now  the  dry  season." 

We  were  up  early  and  got  off  by  6  o'clock  the  next 
morning ;  the  people  went  somewhat  better  than  the 
day  before,  but  being  unaccustomed  to  walk,  their 
feet  became  very  much  blistered,  and  numbers  of 
them  sat  down  by  the  wayside.  We  afterwards 
heard  that  some  of  them  were  killed  bv  the  natives, 
who,  seeing  we  were  retiring,  and  hearing  the 
reason  why,  took  the  opportunity  of  paying  off  a  few 
old  scores,  and  killed  some  of  the  stragglers. 

At  9  o'clock  from  a  hill  we  saw  a  steamer  coming 
up  river  after  us,  and  thought  it  was  all  up  with  us. 
The  steamer  kept  up  a  constant  whistling,  and  some 
of  the  people  with  us  prepared  to  fire  on  her  ;  two 
guns  actually  were  fired,  but  she  made  friendly 
signals,  and  it  turned  out  to  be  some  of  Emin's  own 
men.  The  two  steamers  had  arrived  at  Wadelai 
a  few  hours  after  we  had  started,  bringing  in  refugees 
and  officers  from  Dufile.  We  halted  in  a  village 
about  half  a  mile  from  the  river  and  waited  for 
them  to  come  up.  The  captain  of  the  steamer  soon 
arrived,  and  after  kissing  Emin's  hands  with  every 


Letter  from  Selim  Aga. 


327 


show  of  devotion,  handed  him  a  letter  from  SeHm 
Aga  Matara,  of  which  the  following  is  a  trans- 
lation : — 

"  From  Selim  Aga  Matara, 

"  To  the  Governor  of  Hatalastiva, 
"  His  Excellency  Mehraed  Emin  Pasha. 

"  My  Master, — On  November  18th  the  soldiers 
arrived  here  from  Muggi  and  Lahore  stations,  and 
with  them  120  soldiers  belonging  to  the  1st  Battalion, 
who  had  escaped  from  Rejaf.  I  ordered  Bachit 
Aga  Mahmoud  to  take  a  small  party  of  soldiers  to 
Lahore  to  find  where  the  Donagla  were  encamped. 
At  eleven  a.m.  some  of  the  soldiers  returned,  and 
told  us  they  had  encountered  some  of  th(?m  near 
Chor  Itteen,  and  towards  evening  the  rest  returned 
and  brought  a  letter  from  the  chief  of  the  Donagla, 
Omar  Saleh,  commanding  us  to  surrender.  The 
letter  told  us  of  the  deaths  of  Hamad  Aga,  the 
Major,  Abdullah  Vaab  Effendi,  Ali  Aga  Djabor, 
Salem  Effendi,  and  Hassan  Effendi  Lutvi,  and 
threatened  to  destroy  us  if  we  did  not  obey.  To 
this  demand  we  made  no  answer-,  but  burned  the 
letter. 

"  On  November  25th,  the  Donagla  surrounded  the 
station  and  shouted  out  on  all  sides,  '  We  are  the 
Mahdi's  people.'  At  4  p.m.  they  sent  us  another 
letter,  repeating  their  commands  to  us  to  surrender, 
but  the  soldiers  threw  the  letter  out  of  the  station 
back  at  them.  The  bearer  of  the  letter,  when  asked 
why  the  people  had  come,  gave  no  answer  except 
that  the  Donagla  wished  to  have  the  station  in  their 
hands.    On  the  26th  they  approached,  and  firing 


I 


328  Emin  Pasha. 

went  on  between  us  from  9  a.m.  to  3  p.m.,  when  a 
body  of  soldiers  sallied  out  and  drove  away  the 
attacking  party,  and  killed  twelve  of  them,  besides 
wounding  many ;  among  our  soldiers  there  were 
no  losses.  On  the  27th  the  Donagrla  asrain 
approached,  and  a  good  deal  of  firing  went  on  from 
both  sides.  On  the  28th  a  night  attack  was  made, 
and  we  had  to  beat  the  soldiers  up  to  their  posts  at 
4  a.m.,  and  firing  went  on  until  dawn.  On  this  day 
were  wounded  Achmet  Aga  el  Assinti,  Bachit  Aga 
Ali,  and  Suliman  Aga  Soudan  ;  some  were  shot,  and 
others  were  wounded  by  sword  thrusts  in  their 
hands  and  feet.  Some  few  soldiers  and  non-com- 
missioned officers  were  also  wounded  in  the  same 
way.  In  the  midst  of  the  affray  some  of  the 
Donagla  actually  entered  the  station  and  killed 
Mahomet  Effendi  el  N'djar,  the  captain  of  the 
Nyanza  steamer,  and  Ali  Achmet,  the  engineer, 
Mooragan  Derar,  the  pilot,  Khamis  Salim,  the  chief 
fireman,  and  Farajala  Moru,  second  fireman,  all  be- 
longing to  the  Khedive  steamer.  After  these  acci- 
dents we  mustered  up  all  our  energy  to  try  to  kill 
the  Donagla  who  had  entered  the  station.  Towards 
8  o'clock,  a.m.,  the  battle  was  won  by  our  soldiers, 
and  the  enemy  dispersed.  They  left  behind  them  210 
killed,  besides  those  we  were  unable  to  count,  and 
such  wounded  people  as  reached  their  camp.  "We  cap- 
tured eleven  flags,  and  among  them  that  of  the  Emir, 
some  Remington  rifles,  percussion  guns,  and  a  lot  of 
swords  and  spears  ;  we  also  took  one  prisoner. 

"  After  the  soldiers  had  celebrated  this  victory 
with  a  little  ceremony,  they  returned  to  their 
quarters. 


The  Siege  of  Dufile.  329 

"  On  the  29th  nothing  happened,  but  there  was  a 
little  firing  from  both  sides.  On  the  30th  the  people 
of  Fabbo  came  in  at  7  a.m.,  and  at  8  a.m.  a  Bari 
came  in  who  had  been  a  prisoner  with  the  Donagla, 
and  told  us  they  had  had  great  losses,  and  intended 
to  start  for  Rejaf.  Some  little  time  afterwards  on 
the  same  day,  a  boy  belonging  to  Abdul  Bain  Aga 
came  in,  and  told  us  the  Donagla  had  started ;  a 
soldier  from  Lahore  station  also  came  in  in  the 
evening  and  confirmed  these  reports. 

"  A  body  of  soldiers  then  started  for  the  Donagla 
camp,  and  found  there  many  killed  and  wounded  ; 
these  latter  they  at  once  killed.  They  brought  back 
with  them  some  boxes  of  empty  Remington  car- 
tridges. On  December  1st,  at  noon,  a  soldier,  who 
had  formerly  been  a  servant  of  the  deceased  Major 
of  the  1st  Battalion,  Rehan  Aga,  came  in  and  told 
us  he  had  come  with  the  Donagla  from  Khartoum  ; 
he  confirmed  what  we  had  heard  of  their  flight,  and 
told  us  that  their  numbers  now  were  greatly  weak- 
ened. AVe  then  sent  some  interpreters  to  Chor 
Abdul  Aziz,  and  they  found  the  road  strewn  with 
leathern  bags,  containing  clothes,  they  also  found  a 
Remington  bayonet ;  these  they  brought  into  the 
station.  To-day  a  soldier  called  Fadl  el  Mulla, 
belonging  to  Muggi  station,  came  in  ;  he  had  been 
captured  in  the  Rejaf  affray,  and  reported  that  the 
Donagla  had  started  in  a  great  hurry  for  Rejaf. 
They  had  with  them  150  wounded,  and  many  died 
on  the  road.  They  burnt  the  stations  of  Chor  Aiu 
and  Lahore  and  every  station  they  passed  through. 
And  this  is  what  I  have  to  report  to  your  Excellency 
about  the  Government  soldiers. 


330  Emin  Pasha, 

"  P.S, — Some  of  the  chief  men  and  the  Kadi  of 
the  Donagla  were  killed  in  this  fight. 

"  (Signed)    Sblim  Aga  Matara, 

Bimbashi." 

This  letter  had  no  number,  and  might  therefore 
be  considered  as  unofficial.  From  this  it  may  be 
understood  that  though  Selim  Agra  recognized  and 
addressed  the  Pasha  as  Governor  of  Hatalastiva,  he 
admitted  that  he  was  out  of  office. 

The  letter,  like  most  Arabic  letters,  was  somewhat 
hazy  and  disconnected,  and  one  could  not  make 
ver}^  much  out  of  it.  No  doubt  the  estimate  of 
killed  and  wounded  was  exaggerated,  it  always  is 
with  Easterns,  still  the  Donagla  must  have  met  with 
a  severe  repulse  to  drive  them  to  return  and  burn 
the  stations  behind  them,  as  if  they  expected  to  be 
pursued. 

There  was  nnuther  letter  from  Kodi  Aofa  tellinof 
Emin  that  the  steamers  had  arrived  a  few  hours 
after  our  departure  from  Wadelai.  A  messenger 
had  come  after  him  telling  him  of  the  arrival  of  the 
steamers  ;  he  had  at  once  returned  to  the  station, 
taking  with  him  all  the  people  who  were  behind  him. 
As  Emin  was  too  far  ahead -to  communicate  with,  he 
now  dispatched  the  steamer  to  bring  him  back  again 
to  Wadelai. 

There  was  also  a  letter  from  the  officers  who  had 
come  up  from  Dufile  in  the  steamer,  in  which  they 
joined  Kodi  Aga  in  his  entreaties  to  the  Pasha  to 
return  to  Wadelai.  They  were  all  anxious  to 
make  a  triumphant  demonstration  in  honour  of  the 
victory  over  the  Donagla.    They  said  they  wished 


Emin  decides  to  go  on.  331 

to  offer  "him  their  congratulations.  But  after  the 
conduct  of  the  soldiers  the  day  before,  and  the 
promises  they  had  made  and  broken,  I  thought 
he  had  had  enough  of  demonstrations.  Casati 
and  I  used  every  argument  we  could  to  get  him 
to  go  on,  and  not  to  return.  We  told  him 
if  he  returned  he  would  only  have  all  the  trouble 
of  getting  out  again  when  Stanley  arrived. 
Besides,  too,  we  were  told  that  directly  after  we 
had  left  the  station  the  soldiers  had  entered  the 
compounds  and  plundered  all  our  houses.  There 
was  nothing  to  go  back  to  but  vexation  and  worry 
for  Emin,  he  would  be  nearer  the  Donagla  and 
further  from  Stanley.  Emin  held  a  council  in  a  little 
village  at  the  top  of  a  hill  overlooking  the  river, 
and  after  much  talk  it  was  decided  that  we 
should  embark  in  the  steamer,  and  go  on  to 
Tunguru,  and  then  send  the  steamer  back  with 
letters  for  Wadelai.  There  were  some  who  were 
for  returning,  for  they  wanted  to  go  back  and  look 
after  the  things  they  had  left  behind  them  in  the 
station  ;  but  Emin  told  these  people  they  could  go 
back  in  the  steamer  when  she  returned.  When 
Emin  told  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  steamer  that 
it  was  his  intention  to  go  in  the  steamer  to  Tunguru, 
and  not  to  return  to  Wadelai,  he  said  he  had  orders 
to  return  at  once  and  bring  the  Pasha  back  with 
him.  However,  we  seized  the  steamer  and  began 
to  embark  the  people  on  board.  We  waited  in  the 
village  about  two  hours  to  give  the  people  who  were 
behind  a  chance  of  coming  up.  As  the  women  and 
children  came  straggling  in,  they  were  delighted  at 
the  idea  of  getting  into  the  steamer,  and  indeed  it 


332 


Ejnin  Pasha. 


was  high  time  for  them  to  have  a  lift,  for  their  feet 
were  terribly  sore. 

At  11.45  we  started  ofif  in  the  steamer,  which  was 
densely  packed  with  the  refugees. 

As  we  were  steaming  along  the  pilot  of  the 
steamer  gave  me  the  following  short  account  of  the 
entry  of  the  Donagla  into  Dufile.  I  quote  it  from 
my  journal,  for  from  what  he  said  it  shows  the 
soldiers  in  their  true  light  : — 

"  On  November  27th  the  officers,  fearing  the 
station  might  be  taken  by  the  Donagla,  who  had 
arrived  before  the  station  on  November  25th, 
decided  to  transport  all  the  people  as  fast  as  possible 
on  to  the  other  side  of  the  river.  The  steamers  had 
had  been  working  all  day  and  right  through  the 
night,  transporting  all  those  who  had  taken 
refuge  in  the  station  to  the  east  side  of  the  river. 
The  steam  was  still  up,  but  the  steamers  were 
lying  against  the  wharves  while  the  men  were 
taking  a  rest,  when  at  4  a.m.  on  the  28th,  forty 
Donagla  who  had  been  lying  hidden  in  a  small 
banana-grove  on  the  river  bank  close  to  the  station, 
made  a  rush  for  a  small  bridge  of  earth,  by  which 
the  station  could  easily  be  entered,  close  to  the 
steamers.  The  soldiers  fled  before  them,  and  the 
Donagla  entered  the  steamers  and  killed  every  one 
who  could  not  escape,  and  tried  to  disable  the 
steamers.  They  then  made  a  rush  through  the  station, 
driving  the  soldiers  before  them  ;  they  actually 
drove  them  right  out  of  the  station.  Some 
500  soldiers  fled  in  confusion  before  only  forty  men  ! 
So  sure  were  the  Donagla  of  the  success  of  their 
stratagem,  that  they  had  a  body  of  men  on  the  other 


Tne  Pilot' s  account  of  the  Siege. 


333 


side  of  the  station,  ready  to  kill  tlie  soldiers  when 
they  fled.  The  soldiers,  however,  finding  themselves 
between  two  fires,  struggled  back  into  the  station. 
The  Donagla,  on  driving  the  soldiers  away,  had 
collected  in  the  large  square,  and  from  it  had 
entered  Emin's  compound,  crying  out,  '  Where  is 
Mahomed  Emin,  where  is  the  white  Christian  ?  ' 
Not  finding  Emin  there,  they  had  scattered  about  the 
station,  looting,  and  taking  the  women  prisoners. 
It  was  then  that  the  soldiers  re-entered  the  station, 
and  finding  the  Donagla  scattered,  they  fell  on  them 
and  killed  them  all  one  after  another.  Flushed  by 
their  success  and  encouraged  by  their  officers  they 
sallied  out,  and  drove  the  rest  of  the  Donagla 
away  from  the  walls  of  the  station.  It  was  most 
extraordinary  that  the  Donagla,  having  the  steamers 
and  station  actually  in  their  hands,  should  not  have 
opened  the  gates  to  let  their  comrades  in.  The  only 
way  I  can  account  for  it  was  either  that  it  was  dark, 
and  they  were  waiting  for  daylight,  or  that  they 
had  such  a  contempt  for  the  soldiers  that  they  never 
imagined  they  would  return  and  attack  them.  At  any 
rate  they  must  have  managed  very  badly,  having  the 
station  once  in  their  hands,  not  to  keep  it.  The 
place  where  the  Donagla  had  entered  the  station  was 
exactly  the  place  I  had  warned  Selim  Aga  would  be 
the  most  likely  place  for  them  to  attack. 

Emin  and  I  evidently  had  a  very  narrow  escape, 
for  we  only  got  out  of  Dufile  three  days  before  the 
Donagla  arrived  and  commenced  their  attack  on  the 
station,  and  as  the  Donagla  had,  on  driving  out  the 
soldiers,  immediately  entered  Emin's  compound  in 
search   of  him,   and   the  "  White  Christian,"  we 


334 


Emin  Pasha. 


should  probably  have  been  among  the  first  to  be 
killed. 

I  was  told  that  most  of  the  clerks  had  concealed 
themselves  in  the  reeds,  and  even  in  the  mud  on  the 
banks  of  the  river,  during  the  fight. 

This  affair  with  the  Donagla  was  exceedingly  like 
what  happened  when  the  Mahdi's  people  attacked 
the  Province  four  years  before,  descriptions  of  which 
I  had  many  times  heard  from  different  oflBcers. 
It  appeared  that  when  the  Mahdi's  people  came,  four 
years  before,  under  Keremallah,  against  Emin,  the 
soldiers  ran  right  and  left,  and  retired,  just  as  in 
this  case,  before  them.  At  last  a  number  of  soldiers 
were  surrounded  at  Rimo,  and  when  a  great  number 
had  been  killed,  Avomen  and  children  captured,  and 
the  people  nearl}-  starved,  the  soldiers,  driven  to 
desperation,  had  cut  their  way  out.  The  Mahdi's 
people  being  so  astonished  at  finding  there  was  some 
fight  in  them  after  all,  were  defeated  and  fled  before 
the  soldiers.  Emin's  soMiers  were  great  cowards,  and 
always  ran  before  a  determined  enemy ;  it  was  only 
when  they  had  lost  women  and  children,  and  were 
fairly  caught  in  a  trap  that  they  fought  ;  this  was 
also  the  case  at  Dufile.  Had  the  Donagla  opened 
the  gates  of  the  station  and  let  their  comrades  in, 
there  would  not  have  been  one  soldier  left  to  tell  the 
tale  ;  they  would  never  have  rallied. 

We  heard  that  the  Donagla  had  sent  another 
steamer  down  to  Khartoum  full  of  the  women  and 
children  they  had  taken  in  the  Province.  They  had, 
so  a  soldier  said  who  had  deserted  from  them,  also 
sent  for  reinforcements.  We  knew  that  when 
the  Khartoum  people  heard  the  news,  and  saw  all 


Evacuation  of  Fabbo. 


335 


the  slaves  that  had  been  captured,  they  would 
come  up  in  swarms  and  overrun  the  country.  We 
expected  reinforcements  would  come  up  in  six  weeks 
from  the  time  the  steamer  left  Rejaf. 

The  news  we  had  heard  of  the  fall  of  Dufile  was 
therefore  to  a  certain  extent  true  ;  for  a  short  time  the 
station  and  steamers  had  been  in  the  hands  of  the 
Donagla.  The  news  of  the  fall  of  all  the  northern 
stations  between  Rejaf  and  Dufile  was  also  true, 
for  the  people  had  fled  from  them  in  terror  before 
the  advance  of  the  Donagla,  leaving  everything 
behind  them.  The  rumour  of  the  fall  of  Fabbo  was 
easily  accounted  for. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  Donagla  before  Dufile,  Selim 
Aga  had  sent  a  messenger  in  haste  to  Achmet  Aga 
Dinkaue  at  Fabbo,  begging  him  to  transport  the 
soldiers  and  people  of  the  station  as  quickly  as 
possible  to  Dufile.  He  told  him  to  carry  as  many 
flags  as  possible  and  get  the  refugees  into  good 
order  on  nearing  the  station,  so  that  the  Donagla 
should  think  that  large  reinforcements  were  coming 
to  Dufile  from  the  other  side  of  the  river. 

Achmet  Aga  Dinkaue  on  getting  the  letter  had  at 
once  evacuated  the  station  and  marched  to  Dafile, 
the  people  beating  drums  and  hanging  out  all  their 
bravery  in  the  way  of  flags  and  cloths,  in  order  to 
deceive  the  Donagla  with  regard  to  their  numbers. 
The  Shulis,  who  had  risen  soon  after  the  first  arrival 
of  the  Donagla,  fell  upon  the  retreating  column  and 
captured  numbers  of  women,  cattle,  and  goats.  The 
frightened  people  were  afraid  to  retaliate,  and  I 
believe  a  good  many  were  lost  in  this  retreat. 

This  would  have  been  quite  sufficient  to  cause  a 


336 


Emin  Pasha. 


rumour  to  reacb.  the  distant  Lurs,  near  Bora,  that 
Fabbo  had  fallen. 

As  to  the  report  "we  heard  of  a  large  party  of  the 
Mahdi's  people  having  reached  the  mountain  of  Gebel 
Wati,  two  days  and  a  half  from  AVadelai,  with  the 
intention  of  falling  on  the  station,  we  never  heard  if 
it  was  true. 

Possibly  it  was  true ;  for  we  heard  that  the 
Donagla,  on  making  an  attack  on  Dufile,  had  sent  a 
party  towards  Wadelai  to  act  in  concert  should 
Dufile  fall  before  them,  and  they  may  have  retired 
on  hearing  that  their  party  at  Dufile  had  been 
repulsed  and  had  gone  back  to  Rejaf. 

We  reached  Okello's  village,  at  which  Emin  and  I 
had  camped  five  months  before  on  our  way  down  to 
Wadelai,  at  4.30.  As  we  were  short  of  wood  Emin 
decided  to  camp  there  for  the  night.  The  steamer 
was  awfully  crowded  and  stuffy,  and  we  were  glad  to 
land  in  this  lovely  bit  of  country.  Smooth  grass 
sloped  down  to  the  lake,  and  dotted  about  were 
groups  of  great  wide -spreading  trees  ;  the  villages 
all  round  were  closed  in  by  a  hedge  of  trees,  which 
gave  them  a  particularly  cosy  and  shaded  appear- 
ance. The  refugees,  still  tired  with  the  long  march 
of  that  day  and  the  day  before,  tumbled  delightedly 
out  of  the  steamer  and  swam  and  splashed  about, 
shouting  and  laughing  in  the  clear  blue  water  of 
the  lake. 

We  camped  under  a  clump  of  huge  trees  near 
Okello's  village,  and  slept  in  the  open  with  only  our 
mosquito  curtains  for  shelter.  We  had  great  fires 
made,  by  the  light  of  which  we  had  our  dinner,  Emin, 
Marco,  Vita,  and  myself  all  eating  Arab  fashion  out 


Arrival  at  Tungtiru. 


337 


of  the  same  dish  with  our  fingers.  We  sat  up  by 
the  camp-fires  smoking  our  pipes  and  talking  over 
the  news  Ave  had  heard  that  day.  Though  we  were 
all  pretty  tired  we  went  to  bed  somewhat  late,  to 
sleep  soundly  all  night,  as  one  always  does  in  the 
open,  and  to  thank  God  that  the  Donagla  had  not 
caught  us  this  time. 

Okello's  people  brought  in  wood  for  the  steamer 
early  next  morning,  and  he  himself  came  to  make  his 
salutations  and  have  a  gossip  with  the  Pasha.  We 
got  away  by  eight  o'clock,  but  at  eleven  had  to 
stop  at  Boki's  village  to  take  in  more  wood.  AYe 
did  not  leave  the  steamer,  but  Boki,  who  had  some 
time  before  the  rebellion  been  released  from  prison 
by  Emin's  orders,  came  on  board  to  greet  us.  The 
people  en  masse  went  over  the  side  again  for  a  swim 
in  the  lake,  they  seemed  to  have  no  fear  of  the 
crocodiles  which  were  present  in  swarms. 

At  3.30  we  steamed  up  to  the  station  of  Tunguru, 
and  every  one  turned  out  to  greet  the  Pasha  and 
express  their  contentment  at  once  more  seeing  him 
amongst  them. 


CHAPTER  XIII, 


SUSPENSE  AT  TUNGURU. 

Rumoured  meeting  of  Irregulars  untrue — Emin  decides  to  stay  where 
he  is  —More  letters  from  Dufile — Wrong  impressions  given  by 
Dr.  Felkin — Strange  silence  as  to  the  real  position  of  affairs — 
Letters  of  rebel  oificers  to  Selim  Aga — Accusations  brought 
against  Emin — ^Mischief  made  by  the  chief  clerk— Soudanese 
tricked  by  the  Egyptians — Suliman  Aga  arrives,  wounded,  at 
Tunguru— Indifference  of  Soudanese  to  pain — Beating  the  Der- 
vishes to  death — Walks  near  Tunguru — Visit  from  Mogo  — 
Christmas  Day — Death  of  Suliman  Aga — An  Arab  funeral — The 
last  chronicles  of  Lupton  Bey — The  taking  of  Bahr  el  Ghazal — 
Negroes  cut  off  the  refugees — Dufile  is  abandoned  and  burnt  — 
Birds  of  the  Equatorial  Province — A  day's  shooting — Sketch  of 
the  dwarfish  tribes  of  Central  Africa. 

The  ofl5cer  from  Wadelai  in  charge  of  the  steamer 
decided  to  go  back  at  once  in  order  to  lose  no  time, 
so  Emin  wrote  letters  on  boa-rd  and  sent  them  to 
Kodi  Aga  and  Selim  Aga,  and  dispatched  one  of  his 
boys  also  to  see  if  anything  could  be  saved  from  the 
wreck  caused  by  the  soldiers  looting  our  houses  ;  I 
told  him  to  look  after  my  things  too,  and  save  what 
he  could. 

The  people  who  had  come  with  us  from  "Wadelai 
were  Casati,  Osman  Latif,  Hawashi  Effendi,  Award 
Effendi,  Signor  Marco,  Vita  Hassan,  Basilli  Effendi, 
with  all  their  wives,  children,  and  servants,  and  also 
seven  or  eight  clerks,  and  a  whole  host  of  minor 
people.    They  had  scarcely  anything  with  them,  and 


The  Irregulars. 


339 


they  were  hurrj^ng  about  the  station  arranging 
houses,  and  borrowing  from  their  friends  till  a  late 
hour.  I  found,  to  m}'-  disgust,  that  -while  I  had  been 
away,  Casati's  people  had  put  his  goats  in  my  house, 
the  consequence  was  there  was  a  perfect  plague  of 
fleas,  and  1  had  to  have  my  bed  taken  out  into  the 
courtyard. 

There  was  no  sign  of  the  Irregulars  mutineering,  as 
we  had  heard  when  were  at  Wadelai;  they  seemed 
very  glad  to  see  Emin.  I  always  hoped,  if  we  were 
able  to  get  out,  that  these  people  would  come  with 
us,  for  they  were  useful  on  the  road,  ready,  and 
exceedingly  handy  in  making  things.  They  were 
much  more  courageous  and  obedient  than  the  Regular 
soldiers.  There  was  not  much  food  in  the  station, 
but  we  hoped  to  start  for  M'swa  in  four  days,  at  least 
Emin  said  that  was  his  intention. 

A  couple  of  days  after  our  arrival,  a  letter  came 
in  from  Shukri  Aga  at  M'swa,  saying  he  was 
delighted  to  hear  we  were  at  Tunguru,  and  begged 
Emin  to  come  on  as  soon  as  possible  to  M'swa,  for 
he  was  sure  Stanley  would  soon  arrive.  I  too  w^as 
very  anxious  to  get  there,  for  we  should  then  be 
five  days  from  Wadelai,  and  only  four  days  in  canoes 
from  N'sabe,  our  former  camp  on  the  lake.  In  my 
journal  at  that  time,  December  7th,  I  find  the  follow- 
ing entry  :— 

"  I  shall  not  feel  really  safe  until  we  are  at  M'swa, 
and  then  if  things  go  badly  we  can  take  to  the 
mountains  at  once,  go  to  Kavalli's  and  on  to  Fort 
Bodo.  It  is  possible  of  course  that  the  Donagla  may 
come  up  from  Rejaf,  and  again  attack  Dufile,  but  I 
do  not  think  this  is  likely  to  happen  just  yet,  as  they 

z  2 


340  Emin  Pasha. 

have  burnt  the  stations  behind, them.  Still,  in  another 
month  or  so,  reinforcements  will  probably  come  up 
from  Khartoum  in  great  numbers,  and  if  Stanley 
does  not  arrive  before  that  time  we  shall  most  likely 
have  to  go  for  our  lives." 

Emin,  however,  decided  to  stay  on  atTunguni;  he 
feared  that  if  we  went  on  to  M'swa  it  would  create 
distrust  among  the  people,  who  would,  he  said,  at 
once  think  he  was  trying  to  escape.  So  here  we 
rested  many  days  with  nothing  particular  to  do. 
From  time  to  time  Emin  got  letters  from  people 
in  Wadelai  and  Dufile,  telling  about  different 
incidents  Avlnch  happened  during  the  four  days' 
fighting  at  Dufile.  From  one  man  we  heard  that 
certain  clerks,  at  the  time  the  Donagla  had  entered  the 
station,  rushed  down  to  the  river  and  sat  up  to  their 
necks  in  the  water.  It  was  still  evident  that  the 
people  were  not  quite  convinced  that  Stanley  had 
come  from  Egypt,  and  what  was  the  object  of  his 
coming,  for  these  very  clerks  who  had  hid  in  the 
water,  tried  to  persuade  the  officers  to  surrender  to 
the  Donagla  when  they  appeared  before  the  station. 
They  said  it  was  better  to  surrender  to  Mahomedans 
than  to  infidels  like  the  English. 

Letters  kept  coming  in  from  time  to  time  telling 
us  that  the  people  were  evacuating  Dufile  as  fast  as 
possible.  Amongst  others  was  another  from  Kodi 
Aga,  telling  Emin  it  was  the  wish  of  the  officers  to 
make  great  rejoicings  at  Wadelai  in  honour  of  their 
victory,  and  begging  him  to  come  down  and  superin- 
tend them.  Emin's  boy  wrote  and  said  he  had 
been  able  to  save  a  few  things  from  the  wreck,  but 
the  list  was  a  very  small  one,  for  the  soldiers  had 


False  Impressions  give}i  of  the  Province.  341 


been  quick  in  their  looting,  and  had  left  hardly  any- 
thing. He  had,  however,  been  able  to  save  a  few  of 
Emin's  instruments  and  his  medicine  chest.  The 
soldiers,  he  said,  had  broken  open  all  the  boxes,  and 
strewed  the  things  they  did  not  want,  about  the  huts. 

Amongst  the  different  accounts  of  the  soldiers' 
conduct  at  Dufil^,  we  heard  some  few  examples 
of  real  bravery.  The  men  who  had  behaved  best 
seemed  to  be  Suliman  Aga  who  was  badly  wounded ; 
Selim  Aga,  Bachit  Aga,  Burgoot,  and  a  few  others, 
these  were  chiefly  instrumental,  by  their  determined 
bearing,  in  rallying  the  soldiers,  and  it  was  under 
their  leadership  that  the  final  sortie  was  made  in 
which  the  Donagla  had  been  repulsed. 

Captain  Casati  and  I  had  several  long  talks  about 
the  affairs  of  the  Mudireh,  and  I  was  glad  to  find 
that  he  agreed  with  me  generally  on  the  view  I  took 
of  events  which  had  occurred.  One  of  the  things 
was  that  Dr.  Felkin,  Dr.  Junker,  and  even  Emin 
himself,  had  given  people  in  Europe  a  very  wrong 
idea  of  things  in  the  Province.  Dr.  Felkin  had 
given  an  excited,  glowing  account  of  everything  ; 
things  were,  I  know,  different  during  that  short 
time  he  had  been  there,  but  even  at  that 
time  they  were  never  as  he  described  them.  Dr. 
Junker  knew  that  the  1st  Battalion  had  rebelled 
against  the  Governor,  yet  for  some  reason  or  other 
had  not  spoken  of  it,  or  of  the  many  things  he  must 
have  seen  which  showed  that  Emin's  people  were  not 
very  trustworthy  or  loyal.  All  that  Emin  himself 
wrote  to  Europe  was  perfectly  true,  except  that  he 
only  told  one  half  of  the  story. 

The  consequence  was  that  we  started  from  Europe 


342 


Emin  Pasha. 


believing  that  Emin  ruled  over  a  loyal,  faithful,  and 
obedient  people,  who  were  devoted  to  him,  and 
into  whom,  to  use  Dr.  Felkin's  words,  Emin  had 
been  able  to  instil  some  of  his  own  great  enthusiasm. 
All  Europe  thought  that  Emin's  soldiers  were  loyal 
and  united — had  he  not  himself  in  his  letters  called 
them  heroes  !  and  said  that  all  his  troubles  were  from 
the  outside,  in  keeping  the  slave-raiders  in  cheek, 
or  fighting  against  hostile  tribes. 

Our  astonishment  then  may  be  imagined  when 
we  found  a  worthless  people,  whose  one  idea  was 
conspiracy  and  rebellion  ;  moreover,  we  found  it  had, 
more  or  less,  been  going  on  for  years. 

It  used,  therefore,  always  to  anger  me  when  Emin 
would  remark,  whilst  we  were  discussing  things 
concerning  the  Expedition,  Mr.  Stanley  seems  to 
think  this,  that,  and  the  other,  and  people  in  Europe 
have  a  queer  idea  of  affairs  in  these  countries.  From 
whom  did  they  take  those  ideas,  but  from  his  friend 
Felkin,  and  Emin  himself  ? 

Therefore,  it  was  natural  for  us  to  believe  that 
either  he  and  his  people  would  follow  us  out  of  the 
country,  or  that  they  would  receive  us  with  a  certain 
amount  of  gratitude,  accept  what  we  had  brought 
them  in  the  way  of  ammunition,  and  wish  us  God 
speed. 

But  we  did  not  expect,  nor  had  any  one  given  us 
the  slightest  reason  to  expect,  that  after  getting 
over  dangers  and  difficulties  on  the  road,  the 
greatest  danger  of  all  awaited  us  when  we  reached 
Emin's  country,  a  danger  from  plots  to  attack  and 
rob  us  of  our  guns  and  ammunition,  made  by  the 
very  people  we  came  to  help. 


Letter  from  the  Rebels. 


343 


To  this  day  I  do  not  understand  why  Dr.  Junker 
did  not  warn  us  to  be  careful  in  dealing  with  Emin's 
people.  Forewarned  would  have  been  forearmed. 
As  it  was,  had  our  leader  been  one  atom  less  wise 
and  capable  than  he  was,  Emin  would  never  have 
been  rescued,  and  the  Expedition  would  have  been 
lost  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Albert  Nyanza. 

On  December  17th  the  first  steamer  from  Dufil6 
came  in.  It  contained  Suliman  Effendi,  who  had 
his  leg  broken  in  the  fight  at  Dufile,  and  two 
other  officers  who  had  been  wounded  at  the  same 
time  ;  they  had  brought  with  them  all  their  wives  and 
children.  These  people  Tiad  come  to  put  themselves 
under  Emin's  care,  and  he  who  was  always  kindness 
itself,  was  only  too  glad  to  look  after  them. 

Rajab  Effendi,  one  of  the  faithfuls,  and  Emin's 
clerk,  wrote  from  Wadelai,  saying  that  now  the  fear 
from  the  Donagla  had  decreased  since  their  defeat, 
the  party  against  the  Mudir  was  again  growing 
in  strength.  The  chief  clerk,  who  had  arrived  in  the 
steamers  at  Wadelai  the  day  we  retreated,  had 
written  a  glorious  account  of  Emin's  misdoings  at 
Wadelai,  to  Fadl  el  Mulla,  and  his  confederate  in 
Dufile,  and  Rajab  Effendi  sent  Emin  a  copy  of  a 
letter  which  had  been  sent  to  Selim  Aga,  as  head  of 
the  soldiers. 

The  letter  was  as  follows  : — 

"  To  Selim  Aga  Matara,  Major,  2nd  Battalion. 
"  Effexdi, — You  are  aware  that  Mehmed  Pasha 
Emin,  Hawashi  Effendi,  the  Major,  and  Vita  Effendi, 
the  apothecary,  have  been  suspended  from  service 
for  having  committed  oppressions,  for  having  killed 


344 


Emin  Pasha. 


employes  and  natives,  and  for  having  appropriated 
Government  property,  openly  and  secretly.  These 
acts  have  been  proved  by  a  series  of  documents  now 
in  our  hands,  written  by  many  people  of  this 
country  against  the  above.  To  remedy  these  evils, 
Hamid  Bey  Mahomet,  now  deceased,  was  appointed 
Kaimakam  (locum  tenens)  of  the  Province,  and  you 
Major  of  the  2nd  Battalion.  An  assembly  of  officers 
and  employes  decided  for  the  future  that  no  one 
should  be  wronged,  as  is  the  wish  of  our  Government, 
which  is  built  on  justice  and  humanity.  By  reason 
of  the  Donagla  coming,  and  of  the  war  beginning, 
and  of  the  deaths  of  some  of  our  chiefs  and  brother 
officers,  things  changed  ;  and  some  people  whose 
names  we  can  tell  you,  if  needed,  tried  to  reverse 
our  former  decisions,  as  we  all  know. 

"  Amongst  others  you  have  sent  Ibrahim  Eifendi 
Elham  to  Wadelai,  as  chief  of  transports,  and  after- 
wards, when  the  Pasha  and  his  companions  arrived 
in  Wadelai,  he  entered  into  their  intrigues.  They 
accused  some  people  of  being  in  communication  with 
the  Donagla,  had  them  put  in  prison,  and  decided  to 
kill  them,  Ibrahim  Effendi  Elham  assisted  them 
also  to  get  back  their  property,  confiscated  formerly 
by  order  of  Hamid  Bey  and  the  wish  of  many  people. 
He  helped  them  to  run  away  from  Wadelai  in  a 
shameless  manner,  to  wreck  the  property  of  the 
Government  and  the  people,  to  throw  the  mountain 
guns  into  the  river,  and  to  destroy  the  store-house 
registers  of  Wadelai,  without  thinking  of  being  any 
assistance  to  the  soldiers  here.  It  was  the  intention 
of  the  aforesaid  people  to  cut  us  off  here  in  Dufilt§, 
and  to  hand  us  over  to  the  negroes  or  to  the  Donagla. 


Letter  from  the  Rebels. 


345 


They  therefore  told  the  soldiers  in  "Wadelai  that 
Fabbo  and  Dufile  had  been  destroyed,  and  we,  all 
the  soldiers  and  officers,  had  been  killed  by  the 
Donagla,  whereas  the  soldiers  vanquished  their 
enemies,  and  you  wrote  officially  about  it.  It  would 
be  too  long  to  enumerate  all  the  lies  told  by 
Ibrahim  Effendi  Elham,  Suliman  Effendi,  Abderra- 
him,  the  Pasha,  the  apothecary,  and  the  Major. 

"  Now,  as  it  is  our  duty  to  defend  the  honour  of 
our  Government,  to  assure  the  people  there  is  no 
risk  and  peril  for  their  lives,  their  families,  and 
property,  and  as  it  is  also  our  duty  to  chastise  such 
people  as  incline  towards  the  Donagla,  after  a 
thorough  investigation.  ^Ye  have  decided  to  write 
this  to  you  and  to  ask  you  to  write  on  this  our 
letter  an  order  to  Kodi  Aga,  ordering  him  to  suspend 
Ibrahim  Effendi  from  service,  and  not  to  allow  him 
to  go  to  Tunguru,  but  to  leave  him  in  Wadelai  until 
we  all  come  in,  and  are  able  to  make  an  enquiry 
into  his  behaviour  and  that  of  those  accused  by  him 
of  being  in  communication  with  the  rebels. 

"  "We  may  also  assure  you  that  we  absolutely  do  not 
wish  the  Pasha  to  be  reinstated  in  his  place,  and  that 
on  meeting  the  envoy  of  our  Government  (Mr.  Stanley) 
or  His  Highness  our  Sovereign,  we  sliall  tell  him 
explicitly  about  the  Pasha's  deeds  ;  even  if  we  perish, 
there  will  always  be  one  or  two  to  do  so.  As,  how- 
ever, it  is  at  present  necessary  to  look  after  our 
southern  frontiers,  and  as  Suliman  Aga  was  formerly 
there,  you  may  send  him  in  the  Khedive  steamer  to 
Tunguru,  and  order  Kodi  Aga  to  be  under  his  orders, 
and  to  give  him  the  lieutenant  Ali  Aga  el  Kourdi  to 
be  his  assistant  until  he  recovers.    Tell  also  the  two 


346 


Emin  Pasha. 


captains  in  "Wadelai  that,  bj  the  goodness  of  God,  we 
are  all  well,  and  not  one  of  us  has  been  killed. 
Order  the  officers  of  Tunguru  and  M'swa  not  to  pre- 
rait  the  Pasha  and  his  companioiis  to  leave  Tunguru. 
As  soon  as  we  get  to  Wadelai,  and  after  we  have 
sent  people  to  ascertain  what  has  become  of  our 
brethren  in  Makraka,  we  shall  begin  to  put  everything 
in  order,  and  to  give  to  every  one  his  right,  and  to 
look  after  our  own  business  as  is  our  duty  towards 
our  Government  which  has  honoured  and  preferred 
us. 

"  Please  give  us  a  receipt  of  this  letter. 
"  December  10th,  1888. 

(Signed) 

/  Mustapha  el  Adjemi. 
I  Surore  Aga. 
"  Captains  I  Fadl  el  Mulla  Aga. 

I  Achmet  Aga  Dinkaue. 
Billal  Aga  Dinkaue. 

,  Nur  Aga  Abdul  Bain. 
[  Mustapha  Effendi  Achmet. 
"  Lieutenants  \  Abdul  Aga  el  Apt. 

/  Dowel  Beyt  Aga. 

^  Bachit  Aga  Mahmoud. 

"P.S. — Order  Kodi  Aga  toseud  copies  of  this  letter 
to  Tunguru  and  M'swa  for  tranquilizing  the  people, 
and  tell  them  of  the  victory  of  the  Government 
soldiers.  Tell  them  likewise  that  none  of  us  have 
died,  and  that  the  people  of  Fabbo,  Bidden,  Kirri, 
Muggi,  and  Labor6,  have  got  in  safely. 

"  (Signed)    Fadl  el  Mulla  Aga. 

"  Achmet  Aga  Dinkaue." 


Absurd  Accusations.  347 

On  the  back  of  this  letter,  which  Selim  Aga  sent 
to  Kodi  Aga,  he  had  written, — 

"  Please  to  carry  out  the  orders  concerning  Ibra- 
him Effendi  Elham  and  Ali  Aga  el  Kourdi." 
About  the  other  orders  contained  in  the  letter  he 
had  said  nothing,  so  wo  did  not  know  if  they  had 
been  carried  out. 

The  absurd  and  outrageous  accusations  in  this 
letter  will  give  some  idea  what  sort  of  people  Emin's 
officers  were,  and  how  easily  they  were  led  by 
the  clerks  to  believe  anything  against  him.  First 
there  were  the  accusations  against  the  Pasha,  Vita 
Hassan,  and  Hawashi  Effendi  of  poisoning  people 
who  were  troublesome  to  them,  then  the  accusations 
of  having  appropriated  Government  property  openly 
and  secretly.  And  afterwards  the  accusation  of 
intriguing  against  the  peace  of  the  country  imme- 
diately we  got  out  of  prison  and  went  to  AVadelai  ; 
finally  of  the  Pasha  and  his  companions  having  in- 
vented the  story  of  the  fall  of  Dufile  and  Fabbo,  in 
order  to  hand  over  the  officers  and  soldiers  to  the 
Donagla  or  natives.  There  was  also  the  accusation 
of  having  wrecked  the  Government  property  at 
Wadelai,  the  destruction  of  the  Government  books, 
and  the  throwing  of  the  mountain  guns  into  the 
river. 

Hamid  Aga  the  chief  of  Bora  station,  who  had 
brought  us  the  news  of  the  fall  of  Dufile  and  Fabbo, 
was  one  of  the  men  who  had  always  been  against 
the  Mudir  in  the  rebellion,  and  had  been  sent  to  Bora 
by  the  rebel  officers  to  take  the  place  of  an  officer 
who  was  thought  by  them  to  be  friendly  to  Emin. 
The  destruction  of  the  Government  books  at  Wadelai, 


348 


Emin  Pasha. 


and  the  throwing  of  the  mountain  guns  into  the 
river  had  been  done  by  the  soldiers  themselves,  in  the 
the  general  loot  which  took  place  after  we  had  left 
the  station. 

The  high  moral  tone  in  which  the  letter  was 
written  was  most  amusing,  especially  the  partref  erring 
to  the  determination  on  the  part  of  the  rebel  officers 
to  see  that  no  one  was  wronged,  as  was  their  duty  to 
the  Egyptian  Government,  "  which  was  founded  upon 
justiceand  humanity."  I  shouldthink  thatwasthefirst 
time  the  Egyptian  Government  had  ever  been  accused 
of  such  a  thing.  They  spoke  too  of  "  tranquilizing  the 
people,"  in  an  anxious  and  fatherly  manner,  which  was 
diverting,  seeing  that  they  themselves  had  caused 
the  excitement  and  confusion  which  reigned  in  the 
country.  Their  reign  had  been  a  time  of  pillage  and 
oppression.  However,  this  high  moral  tone  no  doubt 
went  down  with  the  people,  and  cast  a  kind  of  halo 
of  patriotism  over  the  rebel  officers. 

It  was  curious,  too,  to  notice  that  after  addressing 
Selim  Aga  as  their  Major  and  superior  officer,  whom 
they  had  themselves  elected,  they  proceeded  to  give 
him  distinct  and  decisive  orders.  It  only  shows 
what  a  farce  the  whole  thing  was. 

It  appeared  when  the  chief  clerk's  letter  arrived  at 
Dufile,  giving  his  version  of  what  had  been  done  at 
"Wadelai,  and  telling  the  rebel  officers  that  the  Pasha 
had  taken  the  steamer  and  gone  to  Tunguru,  it  caused 
the  greatest  excitement  in  the  station.  The  clerks, 
and  others  of  that  clique,  went  excitedly  to  Fadl  el 
Mulla  and  the  rebels  officers,  and  declared  that  the 
Pasha  had  seized  the  steamer,  and  intended  to  escape 
from  the  country  and  go  up  to  ^s'sabe,  where  he 


Gullibility  of  the  Soudanese. 


349 


intended  to  destroy  the  steamer,  and  they  concluded 
by  saying  that  they  would  never  see  her  any  more. 
This  they  told  also  to  the  soldiers,  and  a  burst  of 
indignation  against  Emin  was  the  result,  and  even 
Selira  Aga  for  a  short  time  faltered  in  his  loyalty  to 
the  Mudir. 

The  excitement  was  so  intense  that  Suliman  Aga, 
wounded  and  weak  as  he  Avas,  ordered  his  servants  to 
carry  him  out  on  his  angarep  before  the  soldiers. 
He  was  held  up  in  his  bed,  and  told  the  people  that 
he  would  with  his  life  guarantee  that  the  Pasha  had 
not  done  what  he  was  accused  of,  and  they  were 
fools  to  be  again  led  away  by  the  clerks,  who  had  led 
them  by  the  nose  so  often  before,  and  whom  they  had 
seen  were  always  wrong. 

While  Suliman  Aga  was  speaking  the  steamer  was 
seen  in  the  distance  coming  down  the  river.  Of 
course  there  was  immediately  an  outbreak  of  rage 
against  the  clerks,  and  certain  of  the  officers  swore 
when  they  reached  the  Mudir,  they  would  kiss  his 
feet. 

These  soldiers  were  so  foolish  ;  again  and  again 
they  found  themselves  tricked  by  the  clerks,  and 
again  and  again  they  were  ready  to  believe  them. 
They  never  learned  wisdom  from  experience.  Such 
things  might  have  gone  on  for  twenty  years,  and 
still  they  would  go  on  believing  what  they  were 
told,  always  provided  that  it  was  some  thing 
against  the  Mudir  and  his  Government.  Then  when 
they  found  themselves  deceived,  they  broke  out  into 
a  sort  of  brutish  rage,  and  threatened  to  do  all  kinds 
of  things,  none  of  which  they  did  ;  and  on  the  morrow 
again  believed  what  the  clerks  told  them  as  readily 


350 


Emin  Pasha. 


as  ever.  The  Egyptian  clerks  held  the  whole  of 
these  ignorant  Soudanese  officers  and  men  in  their 
hands,  they  wrote  all  sorts  of  things,  to  which  the 
Soudanese,  who  could  neither  read  nor  write,  put 
their  seals,  and  so  the  mischief  went  on.  Gordon 
experienced  precisely  the  same  thing  when  he  was 
Governor  of  the  Equatorial  Province,  and  afterwards 
when  he  was  Governor-general  of  the  Soudan.  His 
secretaries  brought  him  letters  written  in  Arabic, 
and  read  what  they  said  was  in  them.  He  put 
his  seal  to  them,  and  constantly  afterwards  found 
that  they  contained  something  quite  difPerent  to 
what  he  imagined.  Emin  got  over  this  difficulty 
by  learning  to  read  and  write  Arabic  immediately  he 
became  Governor,  and  with  his  marvellous  facility 
for  learning  languages  found  no  great  difficulty  in  it. 
But  of  course  the  ignorant  Soudanese  were  easily 
tricked,  and  during  the  rebellion  constantly  put  their 
seals  to  things  they  never  intended  to  do. 

On  such  occasions,  when  they  found  they  had 
been  tricked  by  the  clerks,  they  puffed  and 
fumed,  and  threatened  all  kinds  of  things,  and  to  a 
person  who  did  not  know  them,  it  appeared  as  if 
they  were  going  to  do  something  terrible.  A  few 
flattering  words  from  the  clerks,  and  a  present 
of  some  fat  goats  or  sheep,  always  brought  the 
soldiers  in  a  very  short  time  into  a  good  temper,  and 
they  went  away  quite  satisfied  with  themselves  ;  they 
had  made  a  great  noise  about  sticking  up  for  their 
rights,  and  had,  so  to  speak,  kicked  up  a  bit  of 
a  dust. 

In  seeing  them  in  these  rages,  threatening  to  do 
wonderful  things,  and  doing  nothing,  Horace's  line, 


Suliman  Agcis  Wound. 


351 


"  Parturiunt  montes,  et  nasoitur  ridiculus  mus  !  " 
always  recurred  to  my  mind. 

The  party  against  Emin  had  again  become  so 
powerful  that  we  daily  expected  some  of  the  rebel 
officers  would  come  down  to  Tunguru,  and  take  the 
affairs  of  the  station  into  their  hands,  in  which  case 
we  should  probably  again  be  close  prisoners.  Another 
council  was  to  sit  at  Wadelai  immediately  the 
evacuation  of  Dufile  was  finished,  to  consider  what 
next  was  to  be  done  in  the  Province.  We  heard  that 
most  of  the  people  wished  to  settle  themselves  in  a 
country  near  the  south  end  of  the  lake,  but  we  knew 
they  would  talk,  and  would  never  settle  anything. 
As  I  said  before,  therein  lay  our  safety. 

I  went  over  with  Emin  to  see  Suliman  Aga  the  day 
after  he  arrived.  He  was  very  bad,  the  bone  of  his 
leg  being  literally  shattered,  and  all  the  flesh  torn 
away.  For  three  weeks  it  had  not  been  properly 
dressed  or  washed,  and  was  just  tied  up  in  green 
leaves  smeared  over  with  rancid  native  butter. 

When  these  leaves  were  taken  off  it  was  seen  that 
the  leg  was  in  a  frightful  state.  Emin  feared  that 
mortification  would  set  in.  His  case  of  surgical 
instruments  had  been  lost  when  the  soldiers  looted 
his  house,  so  he  was  unable  to  perform  an  operation. 
The  shattered  remains  of  the  bones  therefore  had  to 
remain  in  for  some  time,  until  they  could  be  taken 
out  with  a  pair  of  scissors  and  some  pincers,  which 
were  the  only  instruments  Emin  had.  It  is  won- 
derful to  see  with  what  indifference  these  Soudanese 
bear  pain.  When  Emin  was  poking  and  probing  to 
extract  the  shattered  pieces  of  bone,  or  cutting  away 
unhealthy  flesh,  Suliman  Aga  never  once  winced  or 


352 


Emin  Pasha. 


groaned  ;  lie  bore  it  all  with  a  sort  of  phlegmatic 
indifference.  Had  he  been  a  European  he  would 
probably  have  fainted.  I  have  often  noticed  clouds 
of  mosquitoes  settling  on  a  Soudanese,  and  he 
would  not  move,  or  even  take  the  trouble  to  brush 
them  off ;  had  it  been  a  European,  or  even  a 
Zanzibari,  he  would  have  been  driven  almost  mad. 
Zanzibaris  seem  to  feel  pain  more  than  the  Soudan- 
ese of  the  Nile,  and  Europeans  in  their  turn  much 
more  acutely  than  the  Zanzibaris. 

Suliman  Aga  told  us  that  the  wound  he  had  re- 
ceived was  not  from  the  Donagla,  but  from  his  own 
soldiers,  who  had  fired  blindly  behind  him,  and  one 
of  their  bullets  had  struck  him.  I  should  not  be  at 
all  surprised  if  this  had  been  done  on  purpose,  for 
Suliman  Aga  was  hated  by  his  soldiers,  and  had 
been  wounded  in  the  leg  once  before  by  one  of 
his  own  men,  whom  he  had  punished  somewhat 
brutally.  He  gave  a  poor  account  of  the  soldiers' 
conduct  during  the  siege  of  Dufile.  He  told  us 
that  he  saw  sixiy  soldiers  armed  with  Remington 
rifles  flj'ing  before  one  of  the  Donagla  armed 
with  a  sword  and  spear  only.  It  was  not  until 
three  or  four  of  them  had  been  cut  down  by 
the  sword  that  it  suddenly  seemed  to  strike  them 
that  they  had  guns.  They  then  halted,  and  fired  a 
volley  at  their  pursuer,  which  riddled  him  with  bul- 
lets. He  gave  me  a  ghastly  description  of  the  way 
in  which  the  three  poor  dervishes,  whom  Omar 
Saleh  had  sent  as  envoys  had  been  beaten  to 
death  with  clubs.  He  spoke  in  admiration  of  the 
conduct  of  Selim  Aga,  Abdul  Aga  Manzal,  Bachit 
Aga,  and  three  or  four  other  officers,  who,  during 


More  News  of  ihe  Siege  of  DiiJiU.  353 


the  panic,  had  fought  splendidly,  and  at  length 
induced  the  soldiers  to  rally.  He  said  it  was 
entirely  owing  to  these  officers  that  the  station  had 
been  saved. 

Before  the  steamer  returned  to  AVadelai  I  went 
and  had  a  look  at  her.  She  had  been  tremendously 
peppered  by  the  bullets  of  the  Donagla,  but  except 
in  one  case  none  of  the  shots  had  penetrated,  though 
the  plates  were  considerably  dinted. 

He  told  us  many  more  tales  of  what  diiferent 
people  did  when  the  Donagla  entered  the  station. 
One  of  his  stories  was  that  a  certain  clerk,  called 
Achmet  Effendi  Mahmoud,  an  Egyptian,  had  buried 
himself  in  the  river  mud,  and  had  put  mud  and  grass 
on  his  head  in  order  to  avoid  discovery  !  Near  him 
one  of  his  women  was  hiding  with  her  child.  On  the 
child's  beginning  to  cry  he  threatened  to  cut  her 
throat  if  she  did  not  go  away,  for  he  was  afraid  that 
owing  to  the  cries  of  the  child,  his  hiding  place  would 
be  discovered. 

Suliman  Aga  confirmed  the  report  we  had  heard 
that  one  of  the  first  things  the  Donagla  had  done  on 
entering  the  station  was  to  search  the  Pasha's  com- 
pound. He  said  he  thought  that  had  he  and  I  been 
caught  we  should  have  been  taken  down  to  Khartoum, 
for  it  would  have  been  a  great  triumph  to  the  Mahdi 
to  have  the  last  of  the  Governors  of  the  Soudan 
Provinces  in  their  hands.  Suliman  Aga'sv/cund  did 
not  progress  favourably,  but  Emin  hoped,  owing  to 
his  strong  constitution,  to  be  able  to  puU  him 
through. 

During  the  time  we  were  at  Tungaru,  I  constantly 
went  out  shooting,  and  was  able  to  help  Emin  to  get 

A  a 


354 


Emin  Pasha. 


a  few  birds,  whicli  formed  the  nucleus  of  a  new 
collection  he  was  making  to  take  out  with  him,  and  in 
the  evening  I  always  went  for  a  walk  along  the 
shore  of  the  lake,  usually  alone.  There  Avas  always, 
at  the  time  we  were  at  Tunguru,  a  very  strong 
wind  blowing  in  the  evening,  and  it  was  one  of  the 
greatest  pleasures  I  had  to  start  off  for  a  walk  along 
the  hard  sand  at  5.30,  seldom  returning  till  7.30. 
It  was  splendid  to  stand  on  the  point  of  the 
peninsula  in  the  bright  moonlight  facing  south-west 
down  the  lake.  There  Avas  nothing  to  be  seen  but 
water  all  round,  bounded  by  a  high,  bold  headland 
ten  miles  off,  coming  down  precipitously  in  a  great 
purple  mass  into  the  lake.  A  strong  south-west 
wind,  warm  and  yet  cool,  blew  with  a  force  almost 
amounting  to  a  gale,  and  brought  the  great  waves 
tumbling  in  upon  the  flat  sandy  beach,  throwing  up 
masses  of  weeds  exactly  like  the  sea.  A  long  narrow 
spit  of  sand  separated  the  lake  from  a  chain  of  broad 
shallow  lagoons  inland,  in  which  there  were  flocks  of 
duck,  geese,  storks,  ibis,  and  herons,  all  fishing  and 
bobbing  about  in  the  water,  while  numbers  of  snipe 
and  plovers  were  to  be  seen  in  the  more  sheltered 
bays  among  the  mud  and  rushes.  It  was  along  this 
narrow  spit,  which  extended  some  miles,  that  I 
always  took  my  evening  walk,  with  nothing  roimd 
me  but  water  and  wild  fowl ;  there  was  a  great 
charm  in  it. 

Mogo,  who  had  returned  to  M'swa,  came  over  to 
Tunguru  to  see  us.  He  promised  to  start  with  my 
letters  to  Stanley  as  soon  as  possible.  I  added  a 
second  postscript  to  the  one  I  had  formerly  added  at 


Chrzsimas  Day  at  Tnnguru. 


355 


AVadelai,  to  the  letter  I  bad  originally  written  from 
Dufile.  I  told  Stanley  that  we  were  at  Tunguru,  but 
were  in  some  ways  in  a  worse  position  than  we  were 
at  Wadelai.  Then  we  were  free,  and  could  come  and 
go  as  we  liked,  but  that  since  the  repulse  of  the 
Donagla,  the  party  against  Emin  had  again  become 
powerful  and  the  officers  of  the  station  were  under 
orders  from  the  rebel  officers  to  prevent  our  leaving 
Tunguru.  I  told  Stanley  I  would  do  my  best  to  come 
down,  but  I  doubted  if  Emin  would  be  able  to  do  so. 
I  added  this  as  a  postscript,  as  Emin  wished  me  to 
send  the  entire  letter.  We  hoped  Mogo  would  be 
able  to  place  the  letters  in  Kavalli's  hands  by 
January  5th. 

The  day  before  Christmas  Day,  Emin  asked  me  to 
Sfo  out  and  try  to  get  a  bird  for  the  Christmas  dinner. 
I  went  out  and  was  fortunate  enough  to  get  several, 
and  among  them  a  fat  Xile  goose,  which  was  to  be 
the  piece  de  resistance  for  dinner.  According  to  the 
German  custom  the  dinner  was  eaten  on  Christmas 
Eve,  and  Casati  and  Marco  were  invited  in  to  partake 
of  it.  For  Central  Africa  it  was  quite  a  smart  dinner. 
I  give  the  menu: — 

Soup. 
Fish. 

Entrees. — Cutlets  a  la  Hatalastiva  —  Hotch  Potch. 
Rotis. — Goose  stuffed  with  Ground  Xuts  -  Sirloin. 
Legumes. — Kolokasias — Balmias — Beans. 
Entremets. — Rice  Pudding— Banana  Fritters. 
Fruits. — Bananas  -  Papaws. 

After  dinner  I  made  a  brew  of  hot  punch  out  of 
some  spirits  of  wine  (which  Emin  had  for  pickling  his 
frogs,  lizards  and  bats),  some  honey,  a  couple  of 

A  a  2 


35*5 


Emin  Pasha. 


limes,  and  hot  water.  It  tasted  rather  like  furniture 
polish,  but  it  was  hot  and  cheering,  and  was  a  great 
treat.  Altogether  it  was  an  exceedingly  creditable 
entertainment  to  get  out  in  the  wilds. 

On  Christmas  Day  I  find  the  following  entry  in  my 
journal: — 

"A  most  drearyChristmas  Day,laid  up  with  fever  on 
my  angarep.  All  sorts  of  evil  rumours  coming  in  about 
the  rebel  officers  at  Dufile  and  "Wadelai.  The  Pasha 
is  still  very  seedy,  bad  chest,  bad  temper,  no  appetite, 
no  sleep.  Last  Christmas  Day  I  spent  in  a  shirt  and 
pair  of  trousers  only,  ferrying  the  Expedition  across 
the  Ituri  river,  after  having  swum  across  early  in  the 
morning  to  make  a  raft  of  banana  stems,  as  we  had 
no  boat  or  canoes.  That  Christmas  Day  was,  how- 
ever, a  more  cheery  one  than  this.  Stairs  and  I  were 
quite  gay  over  our  frugal  dinner,  especially  when 
Stairs  produced  proudly  from  the  depths  of  his  box  a 
medicine  bottle  wrapped  in  a  bundle  of  old  rags,  and 
containing  about  a  gill  of  whisky,  which  he  had 
secretly  saved  through  all  the  starvation  days  for 
that  festive  occasion." 

'  Rumours  kept  coming  in  about  the  growing 
power  of  the  party  against  Emin.  Dufile  was 
slowly  being  evacuated,  and  the  time  when  a  fresh 
reinforcement  of  the  Donagla  might  be  expected  to 
arrive  was  growing  near,  and  we  were  anxiously 
looking  for  Stanley.  As  the  party  against  Emin 
again  grew  in  strength,  we  noticed  that  the  restless 
and  insubordinate  spirit  of  the  soldiers,  which  since 
Emin's  arrival  at  the  station  had  been  lulled,  was 
again  increasing.  The  natives  round  the  station 
were  also  uneasy,  and  gave  considerable  trouble  ;  so 


Death  of  Suliman  Aga,  357 

mucli  so,  that  Emin  begged  me  to  shorten  my 
wanderings  near  the  station,  and  always  take  at 
least  two  of  my  orderlies  with  me. 

Suliman  Aga,  who  had  daily  been  growing  worse, 
at  length  died  on  the  night  of  December  29th.  The 
Pasha  and  I  were  with  him  in  the  evening,  and  when 
Emin  saw  him,  he  told  me  he  could  not  last  many 
hours.  Painful  fits  of  hiccoughing  came  on,  and  in 
one  of  these  fits  he  died. 

At  10.30  we  heard  the  crying  and  wailing  of  his 
■women,  of  whom  he  had  some  fifty,  and  we  knew 
that  he  was  dead.  He  was  buried  the  next 
morning,  and  Emin,  Casati,  and  I,  attended  the 
funeral. 

He  had  been  so  much  hated  by  everyone  in  the 
station  that  there  was  but  a  scanty  attendance  at 
his  funeral.  The  Regulars  refused  to  attend,  and  the 
priest  declined  to  read  the  burial-service  over 
his  body.  Everything  therefore  had  to  be  done 
by  the  Irregulars,  "who  dug  the  grave,  carried  the 
body,  and  buried  it ;  the  service  being  read  by  one 
of  the  Irregulars  "who  had  made  the  pilgrimage  to 
Mecca,  and  had  the  affix  of  Hadji  to  his  name.  Had 
it  not  been  for  the  Irregulars  the  funeral  would 
have  been  a  scandal  ;  these  were  the  men  -whom 
Suliman  Aga  had  ground  down  and  ill-treated  even 
more  than  his  own  men,  bnl  they,  being  a  braver 
lot  than  the  Regulars,  "were  naturally  more  generous, 
so  they  buried  him,  and  had  everything  done 
decently.  A  Mahomedan  funeral  is  an  extremely 
impressive  sight  ;  the  women  kept  up  a  con- 
tinued wailing  throughout  the  ceremony,  and  when 


358 


Emin  Pasha. 


the  earth  was  filled  in,  threw  themselves  madly  upon 
the  grave.  "We  heard  afterwards  that  on  the  night 
Suliman  Aga  died,  he  had  sent  for  his  chief  wife,  and 
before  the  people  assembled  in  his  house  spoke  to 
her  strongly  against  the  soldiers,  and  told  her  that 
the  funeral  meat  was  not  to  be  sent  to  them.  It  was 
the  custom  when  a  man  died  to  have  quantities  of 
the  meat  from  a  bullock,  which  was  slaughtered  on 
the  grave,  cooked  by  the  deceased's  wives,  and  sent 
round  to  the  friends,  together  with  large  plates  of 
bread  soaked  in  the  gravy.  This  was  a  most 
unnecessary  thing  for  the  dying  man  to  do,  for  he 
was  sufficiently  hated  before,  and  this  fresh  expression 
of  his  dislike  for  them  only  increased  the  feeling 
against  him. 

Suliman  Aga's  death  was,  we  feared,  a  bad  thing 
for  Emin  ;  for  he  was  friendly  to  him,  and  on  account 
of  his  violent  temper  the  rebel  officers  did  not  much 
care  to  interfere  with  him.  "We  feared  that  now 
the  rebels  would  send  some  officer  strongly  opposed 
to  Emin  to  be  chief  of  Tunofuru,  and  thing-s  would 
become  more  difficult  again.  Besides,  too,  the  clerks 
were  almost  certain  to  set  it  about  that  the  Pasha 
had  poisoned  him,  and  so  make  capital  out  of  his 
death.  "V^^ith  these  people  anything  bad  was  pos- 
sible !  In  the  meantime,  Saleh  Aga,  who  before 
Suliman  Aga's  return  had  been  acting  as  chief  of 
the  station,  resumed  his  place.  He  was  strongly  in 
favour  of  the  rebel  officers,  but  had  not,  I  think, 
much  influence. 

One  day  Emin  and  I  were  speaking  about  Lupton 
Bey,  and  he  said  what  a  pity  it  was,  when  Lupton's 
soldiers  deserted  him,  that  he  had  not  retired  to  the 


Letters  from  Lupton 


359 


Equatorial  Pro^ance.  He  showed  me  the  last  three 
letters  he  received  from  Lupton,  which  he  kindly 
allowed  me  to  copy.  They  had  been  sent  to  him 
by  the  hands  of  refugees  who  were  coming  from 
Bahr  el  Ghazal  for  protection  in  his  Pro\ance,  so 
that  Lupton,  had  he  liked,  could  have  retired 
also. 

"  April  12th,  1884. 

"  Deae  Emin, — The  Mahdi's  army  is  now  camped 
six  hours'  march  from  here  ;  two  dervishes  have 
arrived  here,  and  want  me  to  hand  over  the  Mudireh 
to  them.  I  will  fight  to  the  last.  I  have  put  my 
guns  in  a  strong  fort,  and  if  they  succeed  in  capturing 
the  Mudireh,  will,  I  hope,  from  my  fort  be  able  to 
turn  them  out  again.  They  come  to  you  at  once  if  I 
lose  the  day,  so  look  out.  Perhaps  this  is  my  last 
letter  to  you.  My  position  is  desperate,  as  my  own 
men  have  gone  over  to  them  in  numbers.  I  am 
known  now  by  the  name  of  Abdullah,  I  win  the  day 
or  die,  so  good-bye.  Kind  regards  to  Dr.  Junker. 
If  steamers  come  to  you,  write  to  my  friends  and  let 
them  know  I  die  game, 

"  Yours  truly, 

"  F.  Lupton." 

"  April  20th,  1884. 

"  Dear  Emin  Bey, — Most  of  my  people  have  joined 
the  Mahdi's  force,  Nazir  Bucho  and  Nazir  Liffe 
with  all  their  men  have  gone  over  ;  also  the  people 
from  Gudju  have  gone  over  with  the  government 
grain.  I  don't  know  how  it  will  end.  I  have  sent 
VYazy  Uller  Effendi  to  the  Mahdi's  camp.    1  hardly 


36o 


Emm  Pasha. 


know  if  I  am  Lupton  Bey  or  the  Emir  Abdullah.  I 
will  write  to  you  as  soon  as  Wazy  Uller  returns. 
The  enemy  are  armed  with  Remingtons,  and  have 
four  or  five  companies  of  Regular  troops  with  them, 
and  some  8000  or  10,000  Orban  and  Jillaban 
(i.e.  Desert  Arabs  and  traders),  but  I  will  give  you 
their  correct  strength  as  soon  as  I  am  sure  about  the 
matter  ;  I  don't  think  it  is  under  the  above  number. 
Slatin  wrote  me  two  lines,  he  only  said,  '  I  send  this 
man  Hadji  Mustapha  Kismullah  to  you,'  he  is  now 
the  Emir  Abd  el  Kader, 

"  Yours  truly, 

"  F.  Lupton." 

"  April  26th,  1884. 

**  Dear  Emin, — It  is  all  up  with  me  here,  every 
one  has  joined  the  Mahdi,  and  his  army  takes  charge 
of  the  Mudireh  the  day  after  to-morrow.  What  I 
have  passed  through  these  last  few  days  no  one 
knows  ;  I  am  perfectly  alone.  The  man  who  brings 
you  this  will  give  you  all  particulars.  I  hear  that 
an  army  was  never  so  totally  defeated  as  was  that  of 
General  Hicks,  out  of  16,000  only  52  men  are  alive, 
and  they  are  nearly  all  wounded.  Look  out  you  ; 
some  8000  to  10,000  men  are  coming  to  you  well 
armed.    Hoping  that  we  shall  meet, 

"  Yours  truly, 

"  F.  Ltjptox." 

These  are  the  last  chronicles  of  poor  Lupton  !  He 
had  been  with  Emin  some  months  at  Lado,  and  had 
commanded  the  district  of  Latooka  under  him.  He 


Story  of  Lupton  Bey. 


did  his  work  so  well  as  Governor  of  Latooka  that 
Gordon  made  him  Governor  of  the  Bahr  el  Ghazal 
Province.  Emin  always  spoke  of  him  with  great 
admiration  and  affection.  He  had  only  been  Governor 
of  Bahr  el  Ghazal  some  sixteen  months,  and  on 
his  succession  to  authority  in  the  Province,  after 
Gessi's  retirement,  he  found  himself  landed  in  a  nest 
of  diflBculties.  Nearly  the  whole  time  he  was 
Governor  he  was  busily  engaged  in  putting  down 
revolts  among  the  negroes,  and  Emin  told  me  that  he 
behaved  most  gallantly.  On  first  coming  into  the 
Bahr  el  Ghazal  as  Governor  he  had  been  ordered  to 
send  nearly  all  his  Regular  soldiers  down  river  to 
strengthen  Khartoum.  With  the  900  Remington 
rifles  he  had  brought  into  the  country  from  Khartoum, 
he  armed  a  lot  of  Irregulars,  who  were  countrymen 
and  friends  of  the  Mahdi's  people,  instead  of  arming 
the  people  of  the  country  and  Niam-iSTiams,  who 
made  capital  soldiers.  Emin  said,  in  consequence  of 
this,  on  the  approach  of  the  Mahdi's  forces  the 
Irregulars  deserted  Lupton  to  a  man,  and  went  over 
to  the  Mahdi.  He  was  left  with  only  a  few  hundred 
Regulars,  whose  fidelity  was  questionable,  and  he 
decided  on  building  a  strong  fort  in  which  he  put 
all  his  mountain  guns  and  entrenched  himself  in  it. 
It  Tras  a  most  reckless  thing  to  do,  for  he  could  not 
expect  to  do  anything  against  8000  or  10,000  with 
only  a  few  hundreds,  and  the  natives  against  him  as 
well.  He  even  spoke  of  turning  out  the  Mahdi's 
forces  from  his  fort  when  they  had  once  entered 
the  country.  Had  he  retired  with  the  few  faithfuls 
when  he  saw  his  people  deserting  him  all  round,  he 


362 


Emin  Pasha. 


might  have  saved  himself  and  them,  by  retiring  to 
Emin's  Province,  where  he  might  have  helped  him 
greatly  in  assisting  him  to  repel  the  attacks  of 
Keremallah. 

A  refugee  from  Bahr  el  Ghazal  said  that  when 
the  Mahdi's  forces  appeared  before  the  fort  the 
few  hundreds  of  Regulars  whom  Lupton  had  with 
him  went  over  in  a  body  to  the  Mahdi.  Hardly  a 
gun  was  fired.  Emin  further  heard  that  after 
poor  Lupton  was  taken  he  was  treated  with  the 
greatest  ignominy  by  the  Mahdi.  It  was  said 
that  just  after  his  fort  had  been  taken  he  was 
standing  outside  the  door  of  his  hut,  smoking  a 
cigarette,  when  an  Arab  coming  by  struck  him  in 
the  face,  and  calling  him  a  dog  of  an  infidel, 
ordered  him  to  give  over  smoking  as  it  was  against 
the  commands  of  the  Prophet. 

What  numbers  of  good  men  have  been  lost  in  the 
Soudan,  and  all  for  the  worthless  Egyptian  Govern- 
ment ! 

On  December  30th  letters  came  in  from  "Wadelai 
with  news  from  Dufile.  We  heard  that  in  order  to 
make  the  evacuation  of  Dufile  more  rapid,  great 
numbers  were  daily  ferried  across  to  the  east  side  of 
the  river,  and,  escorted  by  small  parties  of  soldiers, 
they  marched  overland  to  Wadelai,  the  women  and 
children  being  sent  up  by  steamer.  They  said 
Dufile  would  be  completely  evacuated  by  the  middle 
of  January.  There  was  then  to  be  a  council  held  at 
Wadelai,  and  two  of  the  ofl&cers  of  Tunguru  were 
summoned  to  attend  it. 

We  heard  that  Mustapha  Effendi  Achmet  was 


News  fro77i  Wadelai. 


363 


to  be  sent  down  to  Tunguru  with  a  party  of 
soldiers  to  be  a  guard  over  the  Pasha,  and  sentries 
Avere  again  to  be  put  over  his  door  as  formerly  in 
Dufile. 

This  Mustapha  Effendi  was  the  chief  military 
clerk,  he  was  a  Khartoumer  or  half  breed,  and  was 
always  fanatical  in  his  enmity  against  the  Pasha. 
We  heard  that  all  the  other  officers  who  were 
wounded  in  Dufile  during  the  siege,  died.  This 
made  eighteen  officers  killed  by  the  Donagla  between 
the  middle  of  October  and  the  end  of  November.  A 
good  deal  of  quarrelling  was  reported  to  be  still 
going  on  between  the  officers  and  clerks  of  Dufile 
and  Wadelai.  This  was  not  surprising,  for  it  was 
the  only  thing  they  showed  any  energy  over,  and 
never  tired  of. 

On  the  first  day  of  the  new  year  a  good  many 
friends  came  in  to  greet  Emin,  and  were  regaled 
with  coffee.  Numbers  of  them  asked  me  anxiously 
when  Stanley  was  likely  to  arrive ;  I  told  them 
I  only  wished  I  knew  myself.  We  heard  that 
the  negroes  of  the  Shuli  and  Madi  tribe  were  giving 
the  people  marching  up  from  Dufile  to  Wadelai,  on 
the  east  bank  of  the  river,  a  great  deal  of  trouble, 
and  were  constantly  harassing  them  and  cutting 
off  stragglers.  Emin  had  no  doubt  that  Kaba- 
rega's  scouts  were  amongst  them,  for  he  had 
emissaries  everywhere  in  Emin's  Province,  and  knew 
almost  as  well  what  happened  there  as  in  his  own 
country. 

Some  of  the  soldiers,  when  passing  Boki's  villages, 
had  heard  guns  being  fired  on  the  east  side  of  the 


3^4 


Emin  Pasha 


lake,  which  was  very  narrow  at  that  point,  and 
Boki  had  told  them  that  it  was  Kaba-rega's  soldiers, 
who  Avere  out  sweeping  the  country.  Emin  said 
probably  Okello  and  Boki,  and  all  the  chiefs  round, 
who  had  been  friendly  to  him,  would  be  killed  by 
Kaba-rega  if  the  Province  was  evacuated.  It  was 
very  hard  on  them,  for  they  had  been  forced  to 
be  friends  with  the  Turks,  sometimes  against 
their  wishes,  and  if  the  Province  Avas  evacuated  Kaba- 
rega  would  take  vengeance  on  them  for  having 
been  so. 

By  January  the  5th,  Dufile  was  entirely  evacuated, 
and  was  then  burnt.  The  evacuation  had  been  got 
on  with  more  quickly  than  was  expected,  ovving  to 
the  increasing  hostility  of  the  natives,  who  had  been 
forming  in  considerable  numbers  on  the  east  bank  of 
the  Nile,  and  got  daily  more  and  more  bold. 
As  soon  as  the  last  steamer-load  of  refugees 
had  left  Dufile  the  station  was  burnt,  and  Selim 
Aga,  with  a  large  number  of  soldiers  crossed 
over  to  the  east  side  of  the  river,  intending  to 
march  overland  to  Wadelai,  and  attack  the  natives 
on  the  way  and  punish  them  for  attacking  the 
refugees. 

Having  burnt  numbers  of  villages,  and  taken  many 
cattle  and  goats,  he  marched  on  to  AVadelai  ;  while 
Fadl  el  Muila  with  another  party  went  towards  Fabbo 
in  order  to  punish  the  Shulis  for  attacking  and 
killing  the  stragglers  of  the  retreating  column  when 
Fabbo  had  been  evacuated.  On  his  return  the 
Council  began  to  sit  at  AVadelai,  but  for  several  days 
we  got  no  news  of  the  result  of  the  sitting.  Emin 


Curious  Birds. 


365 


decided  to  stay  "where  he  was  at  Tunguru,  but  said 
directly  he  heard  Stanley  had  arrived  at  the  lake  he 
Tvould  move  to  M'sTva.  I  went  out  shooting  nearly 
every  day,  and  brought  in  a  fair  number  of  birds,  for 
Emin's  collection.  Among  others  T  shot  a  hammer- 
head or  oven-bird.  It  is  a  peculiar  looking  bird,  of 
a  dull  blackish  brown  colour,  about  two  feet  high, 
and  has  a  crest  on  the  top  of  its  head  which  it  raises 
or  depresses  at  will.  Its  nest  is  made  in  the  shape 
of  an  oven,  and  is  composed  of  sticks  plastered  over 
with  mud,  and  is  built  usually  on  rocks  or  on  the 
forks  of  very  large  trees.  The  nest  is  sometimes  six 
feet  in  diameter  and  three  feet  in  height,  and  is 
strong  enough  to  bear  the  weight  of  a  man.  It  is 
divided  into  two  chambers,  and  has  one  outer  entrance 
only,  the  two  chambers  being  connected  by  an  en- 
trance mside.  The  inner  chamber  is  for  the  female, 
and  m  it  are  deposited  the  eggs  ;  the  outer  is  a  store- 
house and  sentrv-house  for  the  male.  This  bird  is 
fond  of  collecting  bits  of  shining  stone  or  broken 
pieces  of  pottery  and  all  sorts  of  queer  objects  in  its 
store-house.  It  is,  I  think,  described  by  Schwein- 
furth  as  living  in  large  colonies  in  the  jungle,  but 
in  Emin's  Province  it  always  lives  in  the  open  and 
builds  its  nest  alone.  The  nest  lasts  two  or  even 
three  years,  and  several  broods  of  young  are  reared 
in  it. 

There  were  also  numbers  of  goat-suckers,  or  night- 
jars, of  a  very  peculiar  form.  They  are  nearly  as  big 
as  hawks,  with  very  long  wings.  From  each  wing 
grow  two  long  feathers,  a  small  distance  apart ; 
their  stems  are  quite  bare  except  at  the  tips,  which 


366 


Emin  Pasha. 


are  shaped  like  the  round  tip  of  a  peacock's  feather. 
They  are  very  long,  and  when  the  bird  is  flying 
are  waved  so  quickly  that  it  looks  as  if  four  small 
birds  were  flying  close  round  it,  above  and  below. 
For  this  reason  the  Arabs  call  it  Abu  Arba,  or  the 
Father  of  the  Four. 

During  the  months  of  December  and  January  there 
were  great  numbers  of  European  birds  about  Tun- 
guru,  which  had  migrated  for  the  winter,  but,  curiously 
enough,  none  of  them  sang,  and  the  few  notes 
they  uttered  were  unlike  their  notes  in  Europe. 
There  were  nightingales,  swallows,  plover,  quails, 
night-jars,  redstarts,  and  snipe,  and  many  other 
birds  known  in  England,  but  they  were  all  silent 
or  nearly  so.  Emin  had  great  difficulty  in  finding 
lead  for  making  shot,  and  for  some  time  I  used 
beads,  but  these  had  no  penetrating  power  and  I 
had  to  get  a  very  close  shot.  I  even  tried  round 
pebbles,  but  they  scattered  too  much  and  spoilt  the  gun 
as  well. 

There  were  great  numbers  of  birds  of  all  sorts  in 
the  lagoons,  which  had  come  in  consequence  of  the 
swarms  of  insects  abounding  on  the  lake-shore 
at  that  time  of  the  year,  and  nearly  every  morning 
I  went  out  shooting. 

Here  is  a  quotation  from  my  journal  which  gives  a 
description  of  the  kind  of  sport  I  had  : — 

"  I  went  out  shooting  to-day,  and  was  fairly 
successful.  I  got  stilts,  bee-eaters,  European  plover, 
and  others  whose  names  I  do  not  know,  for  the 
Pasha's  collection  ;  and  for  the  pot  I  shot  a  large 
spur-winged  goose  and  a  black  ibis  ;  the  latter  is  a 


I 

I 
I 

i 

i 

I 


i 

I 

I 

! 


The  Dwarfs.  367 

queer-looking  bird  with  a  bright  crimson  beak  ;  it 
is  good  eating. 

"  The  Pasha  was  pleased  to  get  a  good  number 
of  birds,  for  since  the  days  of  the  rebellion  he  had 
been  obliged  to  give  up  collecting.  The  shot,  which 
I  had  made  yesterday, turned  out  to  be  capital,  and  did 
very  good  work.  Unfortunately  I  only  took  eighteen 
percussion  caps,  and  just  after  I  had  used  the  last 
cap  to  bring  down  tlie  ibis,  I  came  upon  a  great 
lagoon  in  which  there  were  hundreds  of  birds  of 
different  kinds,  swimming  about  or  paddling  on  the 
mud  banks  in  search  of  snails  and  insects.  There 
were  ibis,  black  and  white,  standing  in  a  row,  and 
from  time  to  time  giving  out  a  shrill  mournful  note  ; 
storks  and  divers,  ducks  and  geese  were  swimming 
about  amongst  the  weeds  and  tilting  up  their  tails  in 
the  most  tempting  manner  for  a  shot.  There  were 
plover  of  many  kinds  and  painted  snipe,  and  a  great 
golden-crested  crane  was  standing  in  the  middle  of 
the  lagoon  like  a  king  amongst  them  all." 

While  I  was  in  Emin's  Province  I  had  picked  up 
stray  pieces  of  information  about  the  dwarfs.  They 
were  a  very  interesting  people,  and  there  were  a 
good  many  in  the  Province.  Casati  and  Emin 
both  told  me  a  good  many  things  about  them, 
and  I  had  constantly  gossiped  with  soldiers  and 
natives  from  Monbuttu  and  Makraka,  where  these 
dwarfs  exist  in  large  numbers.  Far  away  in  the 
forest  we  had  constantly  come  upon  their  traces,  and 
had  fi-om  time  to  time  captured  some  of  them, 
chiefly  women  and  boys.  During  my  stay  in  Hata- 
lastiva  I  had  seen  a  good  many  of  them  living  in 


368 


Emin  Pasha. 


perfect  good  will  with  the  soldiers.  These  had  been 
captured  in  raids,  and  were  also  mostly  women  and 
children.  I  got  what  information  I  could  from  them, 
but  they  were  somewhat  reticent  and  shy ;  a  great 
contrast  to  the  natives  around,  who  spoke  about 
themselves  with  the  greatest  volubility. 

Known  from  the  earliest  times  and  spoken  of  by 
Herodotus  and  others  of  the  ancient  Greek  writers, 
the  dwarfish  tribes  of  Central  Africa  are  ordinarily 
believed  to  represent  the  scattered  remnants  of  an 
aboriginal  population  spread  over  almost  the  whole 
of  Equatorial  Africa,  and  dispersed  afterwards  by 
the  movements  and  migrations  of  the  surrounding 
peoples  and  tribes.  Schweinfurth  has  written  about 
them  in  Monbuttu,  and  Dr.  Lentz  has  found 
dwarfish  people  as  far  west  as  the  Upper  Ogoweh 
river.  Forming  only  rarely  fixed  settlements,  they 
now  roam  over  the  forest  regions  in  small  bands, 
composed  almost  always  of  members  of  one  family, 
and  are  never  known  of  their  own  free  will  to  leave 
them  for  the  open  country. 

It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  agriculture  is  not 
practised  by  them,  except  to  a  very  small  extent 
where  they  have  fixed  settlements.  They  are 
hunters,  and  live  solely  on  the  produce  of  the  chase 
and  what  they  are  able  to  pick  up  in  the  forests. 

The  dwarfs  go  by  the  following  names  in  different 
countries  : — 

Akka,  in  Monbuttu. 

A-ticky-ticky,  in  the  A-Sandai  or  Xiam-Niam 
country. 

Vorchow,  in  Momvn. 
A-fi-fi,  in  Mabordai. 


The  Dwarfs. 


369 


Batwa  or  Wattua,  in  Unyoro. 

Obongo  or  A-bongo,  on  the  Upper  Ogoweh  river. 

Our  Zanzibaris  called  them  "Wambutti  in  the 
forest  through  which  we  passed  between  the  Congo 
and  the  Albert  Lake.  We  found  continual  traces 
of  them  from  27°  30'  longitude,  a  few  miles  above 
the  Equator,  up  to  the  edge  of  the  forest  five  days' 
march  from  Lake  Albert.  They  are  a  hardy,  daring 
race,  always  ready  for  war,  and  are  much  feared  by 
their  neighbours.  Beginning  from  Monbuttu,  east- 
wards, to  within  five  days  march  from  Lake  Albert 
Nyanza,  they  are  found  everywhere.  As  soon  as  a 
party  of  dwarfs  makes  its  appearance  near  a  village, 
the  chief  hastens  to  propitiate  them  by  presents  of 
corn  and  such  vegetables  as  he  possesses. 

The  dwarfs  then  generally  settle  down  near  some 
brook  in  the  midst)  of  the  forest,  and  erect  small 
huts  for  the  married  people,  boys  and  girls  merely 
making  themselves  small  shelters  by  bending  down 
branches  of  saplings  and  covering  them  with  leaves. 
The  huts  are  very  small,  being  about  four  feet  in 
height  and  three  feet  in  diameter,  they  are  roughly 
built  and  of  a  beehive  shape  ;  long  thin  sticks 
are  made  into  a  rough  framework,  and  covered 
with  green  leaves.  Their  temporary  settlements 
are  always  distant  from  villages,  and  are  some- 
times concealed  under  trees  and  bushes ;  I  am 
speaking  now  of  the  settlements  in  Monbuttu  and  the 
adjoining  countries,  for  the  dwarfs'  camps  which 
we  saw  on  our  road  were  nearly  always  built  in  a 
cleared  space  where  several  paths  met,  usually  about 
a  mile  from  a  village.  The  huts,  too,  which  we  saw 
in  their  camps  were  much  larger  than  those  in 

B  b 


370 


Emin  Pasha. 


Monbuttu  and  the  adjacent  countries,  being  usually 
from  five  to  six  feet  high,  and  sometimes  as  much 


DWARF  WITH  BOW   AND  AEKOW. 


as  seven  feet  in  diameter.  I  was  told  that  in  Mon- 
buttu the  dwarfs  always  sleep  with  their  bodies 
inside  and   their    legs  sticking  out  of  the  door, 


The  Dwarfs. 


371 


owing  to  the  small  size  of  the  huts.  Every  native 
of  Monbuttu  and  every  dwarf  I  have  questioned 
held  to  this  story. 

After  settling  in  some  place  where  game  abounds, 
they  begin  hunting,  and,  out  of  the  produce, 
exchange  feathers,  skins,  meat,  ivory,  etc.,  with  the 
villagers,  who,  in  return,  give  them  such  food  as  they 
require.  As  long  as  this  system  of  exchange  is 
fairly  observed,  they  are  on  good  terms  with  the 
villagers,  but  if  they  consider  themselves  slighted 
in  the  smallest  degree — and  they  are  very  ready  to 
take  offence — they  do  not  hesitate  to  retaliate  on 
the  villagers,  laying  ambuscades  for  them,  shooting 
at  them  from  behind  trees,  killing  them,  and 
pillaging  their  fields  and  banana  plantations.  They 
are  excellent  shots,  and  are  very  revengeful,  their 
tiny  bows  and  arrows  being  most  deadly  weapons  ;  so 
it  may  be  easily  understood  that  the  natives  are 
always  anxious  to  be  on  good  terms  with  them,  and 
seldom  willingly  molest  them.  They  often  stay  for 
some  time  in  one  place,  if  game  is  plentiful,  and  the 
villagers  friendly,  and  only  leave  it  when  game 
becomes  scarce. 

The  dwarfs  do  not  carry  any  household  goods, 
cooking-pots,  etc., on  their  perigrinations,and  usually 
cook  their  food  wrapped  in  leaves  and  placed  on  the 
red-hot  embers.  They  occasionally,  however,  get 
cooking-pots  from  the  village  near  which  they  are 
camping.  They  are,  in  fact,  as  primitive  as  it  is 
possible  for  people  to  be.  Their  huts  are  probably 
larger  and  better  made  in  their  fixed  settlements.  I 
heard  from  Captain  Casati,  who  was  four  years  in 
Monbuttu,  and  from  several  natives  of  that  country, 

B  b  2 


37^ 


Emin  Pasha. 


that  there  is  a  settlement  of  dwarfs,  consisting  of 
two  large  and  several  smaller  villages  under  a  king 
called  M'Galima.  Schweinfurth  also  speaks  of  him. 
It  is  situated  on  the  river  Xava,  to  the  south  of 
Monbuttu,  which  has  its  source  in  the  mountain  of 
Abambola,  in  the  country  of  Migo,  whose  chief  is 
Nagiza.  I  have  not  come  across  anyone  who  has 
actually  seen  this  settlement,  though  all  the  Monbuttu 
natives  I  questioned  were  unanimous  in  saying  that 
it  exists  on  the  Nava. 

From  an  anthropological  point  of  view  the  dAvarfs 
are  by  no  means  a  degenerate  race,  as  some  writers 
have  pretended.  They  are,  as  a  rule,  well  built, 
and  well  proportioned,  and  have  a  fair  muscular 
development  ;  they  have,  however,  for  their  size 
rather  large  bones. 

Like  nearly  all  negroes  they  have  in  their  youth 
distended  stomachs,  caused  I  should  say  by  irregular 
feeding,  and  their  legs  seem  weak  in  proportion  to 
the  weight  of  their  bodies,  but  as  soon  as  they 
attain  full  growth  their  bodies  assume  a  fair  pro- 
portion. Schweinfurth  speaks  of  their  having 
"  pendulous  bellies,"  but  though  I  have  seen  great 
numbers  of  them  I  have  never  observed  it,  except 
amongst  the  children,  neither  has  Emin  or  Casati 
ever  noticed  this  peculiarity. 

They  are  of  a  light  brown  reddish  colour,  and  are 
sometimes  of  a  yellowish  hue.  Most  of  them  are  from 
4  feet  to  4  feet  1  inch  in  height,  and  have  well  pro- 
portioned limbs  and  plenty  of  wool  on  their  heads. 
The  measurements  of  their  height  I  have  taken  from 
Emin  Pasha's  anthropological  notes  ;  he  has  measured 
a  good  number  of  them,  mostly  women,  but  men  or 


The  Dwarfs. 


373 


women  have  never  exceeded  4  feet  1  inch  in 
height. 

They  frequently  intermarry  with  the  natives  in 
whose  country  they  are  staying,  which  would  account 
for  the  diiference  in  height  given  by  Schweinfurth  ;  he 
found  that  the  men  he  measured,  I  think,  were  4  feet  6 
inches  to  4  feet  7  inches  in  height  ;  I  believe  he  never 
saw  any  dwarf  women. 

Over  the  whole  body  is  a  thick  felt  of  stiff  greyish 
hair,  which  gives  them  a  peculiarly  elfish  appearance. 
Their  skins  are  in  no  way  different  from  the  ordinary 
negro  tribes,  at  least  in  those  dwarfs  I  have  examined. 
Schweinfurth  describes  a  thick  network  of  wrinkles 
being  round  all  the  articulations. 

Their  eyes  are  bright  and  lustrous,  and  their  teeth 
good  and  complete,  ears  rather  large,  lips  small,  and 
not  very  protruding  ;  their  hands  and  feet  are  small 
and  well  proportioned.  The  men  have  often  very 
long  beards,  which  is  most  unusual  in  the  negro  races. 
Both  men  and  women  have  a  peculiarly  strong  and 
very  unpleasant  smell. 

Ornaments  and  tribal  marks  are  not  usually  seen 
among  them,  nor  do  they  mutilate  themselves  in  any 
way.  In  their  forests  the  men  and  children  are 
always  absolutely  naked,  the  women  wear  fringes  of 
green  leaves  round  their  waists,  and  occasionally 
small  strips  of  skin  or  bark  cloth. 

For  warfare  they  use  bows  and  poisoned  arrows 
and  small  spears ;  both  spears  and  arrows  are 
tipped  with  iron,  and  are  hea^aly  barbed.  These 
weapons  are  made  for  them  by  the  villagers  with 
whom  they  traffic.  They  are  very  reticent  and 
reserved,  but  it  seems  they  have  a  language  of  their 


374 


Emin  Pasha. 


own  in  their  permanent  settlements,  though  in  an 
ordinary  way,  they  speak  the  language  of  the  country 
in  which  they  are  staying. 

Cannibalism  seems  to  be  practised  amongst  them. 
Many  of  the  women  are  good  looking  and  well 
formed,  and  the  neighbouring  tribes  willingly  take 
them  for  Avives  when  they  can.  The  men  are  not  as 
a  rule  as  good  looking  as  the  women,  and  they  are 
on  the  whole  an  ugly  people,  many  of  them  being 
extremely  grotesque  looking,  especially  the  men  with 
long  beards. 

If  brought  in  their  youth  to  Emin's  stations  or 
settlements  the  women  become  good  servants,  and 
are  indefatigable  workers.  Emin  had  a  dwarf 
woman  in  his  house  who  used  to  sweep  out  my  hut 
every  morning  and  bring  me  water  for  my  bath  ;  she 
was  most  industrious,  and  never  seemed  to  be  idle, 
and  she  was  always  cheery  and  good  natured. 
Emin  brought  her  down  to  our  camp  at  X'sabe, 
but  when  confronted  by  a  dwarf  woman  we  had 
broug-ht  with  us  some  eiofhtv  miles  west  of  the  lake, 
the  two  could  not  at  first  understand  each  other, 
though  after  a  while  they  seemed  able  to  communicate 
with  each  other  pretty  freely.  This  dwarf  woman 
who  was  in  Emin's  house  came  from  Monbuttu.  The 
men  make  fair  servants,  but  will  not  do  hard  work 
like  the  women,  and  are  always  restless.  Both  men 
and  women,  however  young  they  were  brought  to  the 
station,  always  preserved  some  independence  of  spirit, 
which  made  them  at  times  rather  obstinate. 

The  Lur  people  told  a  story  that  the  dwarfs  once 
extended  to  the  shores  of  Lake  Albert,  but  were  driven 
back  to  the  west  by  an  influx  of  people  from  Unyoro  ; 


The  Dwarfs. 


375 


who  were  in  their  turn  driven  out  by  the  Lurs, 
who  now  inhabit  all  the  north-western  shore  of 
the  lake,  and  extend  some  distance  down  both  sides 
of  the  river.  The  dwarfs  we  had  with  us  never  did 
well  in  the  open  country,  they  did  not  seem  able  to 
stand  the  sun  and  the  cold  nights,  and  were  constantly 
sick  with  fever. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


NEWS  OF  STANLEY  AT  LAST. 

The  Council  sits  at  Wadelai — Emin  will  not  move — Saleh  Aga 
surrounded  by  natives — Method  of  declaring  war — The  grain 
tax — Natives  on  the  verge  of  rebellion — Death  of  Boki — 
Quarrels  among  the  officers —Drunkenness  and  debauchery  at 
Wadelai — Grass  fires —Their  effect  on  trees — Biblical  scenes — 
Stanley  at  last  ! — His  letters  to  me — Official  letter  to  Emin — A 
tale  of  death  and  disaster — Wreck  of  the  rear  column — Deaths 
of  Barttelot  and  Jameson  -  Saleh  Aga's  perverseness  —  Saleh  Aga 
cowed — Emin  writes  to  Stanley — Prejiarations  for  a  start  — 
Arrival  of  the  steamer — Rumours  of  Stanley's  strength — Pro- 
ceedings of  the  Council  confirmed — Emin  a  man  of  compro- 
mises. 

At  length  we  got  news  from  Wadelai.  The  sittings 
of  the  Council  had  been  most  stormy,  but  the  party 
against  Emin  had  got  the  best  of  it,  and  a  letter  was 
written  and  signed  by  most  of  the  officers  and  clerks 
condemning  Emin  to  be  hung  ;  Casati  and  I  were  also 
condemned  to  suffer  the  same  death  for  aiding  and 
abetting  Emin  in  his  flight  from  Wadelai,  in  his 
destroying  the  Grovernment  books,  and  throwing  the 
mountain  guns  of  Wadelai  into  the  river.  We  never 
saw  the  document  which  condemned  us  to  death,  but 
we  were  told  it  contained  an  indictment  against  us  for 
conspiracy  against  the  safety  of  the  people  in  Dufile, 
and  in  the  Pro\ance  generally,  and  for  cowardice  in 
flying  from  Wadelai.  We  heard  that  as  soon  as  a 
few  pressing  questions  concerning  the  defence  of  the 


Emin  again  unable  to  decide. 


Z77 


Province, — should  the  Donagla  return, — had  been 
settled,  some  of  the  rebel  officers  and  a  Company  of 
soldiers  were  coming  down  to  Tunguru  to  see  the 
decisions  of  the  Council  carried  out. 

As  soon  as  Shukri  Aga  heard  this  news,  he  at  once 
sent  over  a  special  messenger  from  M'swa  with  a  letter 
to  Emin.  In  this  he  urged  him  in  the  strongest 
terms  to  come  to  M'swa.  He  said  Emin  had  only  to 
give  the  word,  and  he  would  be  down  in  two  days 
with  200  carriers,  and  a  party  of  soldiers  to  bring  us 
and  all  our  things  to  M'swa. 

Here  is  an  extract  from  my  journal : — 

"  The  Pasha  decided  to  sleep  on  Shukri  Aga's 
proposal  before  deciding  what  answer  he  should  give. 
We  had  a  long  discussion  about  it,  but  T  can  see  he  will 
decide  on  remaining  where  he  is.  '  Ospa  !  ospa  ! 
ospa  !  '  '  Bokra,  bokra,  bokra  ! '  ('  Wait,  wait, 
wait  !  '  '  To-morrow,  to-morrow,  to-morrow  !  ') 
always  seems  to  be  the  cry  in  Emin's  Province  of 
both  Europeans,  Soudanese,  and  Egyptians.  There  is 
something  of  course  to  be  said  against  our  going  at 
once  to  M'swa.  No  doubt  the  rebel  officers  would  in 
such  a  case  be  very  incensed  against  us  for  doing  so, 
and  would  probably  at  once  dispatch  a  party  of 
soldiers  and  officers  to  bring  us  back  to  AYadelai, 
and  take  M'swa  out  of  Shukri  Aga's  hands. 

"  On  the  other  hand,  if  we  went  to  M'swa  we 
should  be  four  days  from  Kavalli's  by  the  lake,  and 
further  removed  from  Wadelai  ;  moreover  there  is 
nothing  to  prevent  our  leaving  M'swa  the  day  we 
arrive  there,  taking  Shukri  Aga  and  such  soldiers  as 
are  willing  to  accompany  us,  and  starting  right  off 
for  Kavalli's.    He  would,  I  am  sure,  receive  us  in  a 


378 


Emin  Pasha. 


friendly  manner,  and  we  could  wait  there  for  Stanley, 
who  I  am  convinced  must  soon  be  here. 

"  I  feel  sure  that  in  a  very  short  time  some  of  the 
worst  of  the  rebel  officers  and  soldiers  will  be  sent  to 
take  over  the  station,  now  Suliman  Aga  is  dead. 
We  shall  then  again  be  prisoners,  six  days  from 
Stanley  and  only  two  from  that  nest  of  rebels  at 
Wadelai.  I  have  tried  to  persuade  Emin  to  move, 
for  naturally  I  look  a  good  deal  to  what  will  most 
help  Stanley  when  he  arrives  ;  whereas  I  do  not  think 
that  this  thought  enters  into  Emin's  calculations  ;  he 
seems  to  think  that  as  Stanley  has  had  orders  to 
relieve  him,  he  must  do  it.  I  suggested  to  Emin  that 
he  had  a  certain  amount  of  obligation.,  to  the  Ex- 
pedition which  had  come  to  help  him,  but  this  caused 
an  outburst  against  me  for  being  so  ungenerous  as  to 
remind  him  of  what  we  had  done  for  him.  I  there- 
fore said  no  more. 

"January  11th.  As  I  expected,  the  Pasha  has 
decided  to  remain  here,  yet  awhile,  to  see  what 
happens,  but  when  he  hears  of  Stanley's  arrival  at 
the  lake  he  intends,  so  he  says,  to  start  at  once.  The 
question  is,  shall  we  be  able  to  do  so  then  ?  Emin 
may  be  right,  I  only  hope  he  will  prove  to  be  so,  but 
I  have  my  fears.  It  is  getting  on  now  for  the  middle 
January,  and  Stanley  has  been  gone  nearly  eight 
months.  Of  course,  if  we  heard  he  had  arrived, 
nothing  would  be  simpler — away  we  would  go  for 
Kavalli's.  There  is  yet  another  thing  against  our 
stopping  here.  The  Donagla  will  probably  be  up 
again  at  Rejaf  shortly,  with  reinforcements  from 
Khartoum." 

It  seemed  quite  impossible  for  Emin,  so  to  speak,  to 


Growing  turbulence  of  the  Soldiers.  379 

tear  himself  up  by  the  roots  and  start   off  from 
M'swa.    There  was  at  that  time  absolutely  nothing 
to  prevent  it ;  with  a  little  energy  we  could  have  got 
out  and  gone  down  the  lake  with  the  few  faithful 
people  with  us,  and  might  have  reached  Kavalli's. 
Emin  would  have  deserted  no  one,  for  nearly  all 
who   were   faithful  to  Emin    were  with  us,  and 
those  others  who  were  behind  at  Wadelai  could  just 
as  easily  have  got  out  without  us,  for  we  were  unable 
to  help  them  in  the  slightest  degree.    As  it  proved  it 
did  not  signify  ;  but  had  things  turned  out  as  it  was 
natural  to  suppose  they  would,  Emin  would  have  had 
no  one  to  blame  but  himself  if  he  had  been  trapped 
by  the  rebels.    He  would  never  have  been  able  to 
get  out,  and  he  would,  moreover,  by  his  inability  to 
make  up  his  mind  to  move,  have  sacrificed  those 
whom  he  made  such  a  point   of  saying  he  would 
never  sacrifice.    AVe   again   noticed   that   as  the 
rumours  and  reports  of  the  proceedings  against  us 
of  the  Council  in  "Wadelai  reached    the  station, 
the  soldiers  got  more  and  more  turbulent  and  in- 
subordinate.   As  a  rule,  rations  of  corn  were  given 
out  for  fifteen  days,  but  the  soldiers  went  to  their 
ofiicers  and  demanded  a  full  month's  rations  to  be 
given  them  at  one  time.    Having  so  much  corn  they 
took   to    making    merrisa  or    native    beer,  and 
consequently  there  was  a  great  deal  of  drinking  and 
brawling,  which   at   length    culminated  in  a  fight 
amongst  them,  in  which  one  man  was  nearly  killed 
and  several  soldiers  deserted  to  AVadelai. 

Saleh  Aga  was  obliged  to  take  a  party  of  soldiers 
and  go  up  to  the  tablelands  above  the  station  to 
collect  the  grain  tax.    After  he  had  been  out  three 


38o 


Emin  Pasha. 


days,  we  heard  that  he  had  been  attackea  by  the 
natives,  and  a  fight  had  taken  place  in  which  some 
soldiers  and  several  natives  were  killed.  As  there 
were  very  few  soldiers  in  the  station,  more  could  not 
be  spared  to  go  to  iSaleh  Aga's  relief,  so  the  officers 
asked  different  people  to  help,  by  sending  their  armed 
servants  out.  The  Pasha  sent  two  of  his  servants,  I 
sent  two  of  my  orderlies,  and  Casati  sent  two  of  his 
people.  Altogether  we  made  up  a  party  of  twenty- 
eight,  armed  with  guns,  and  about  the  same  number 
armed  with  spears ;  quite  a  respectable  reinforce- 
ment to  Saleh  Aga  and  his  twenty  soldiers.  The 
next  day  we  heard  that  our  relief  party  had  also 
been  surrounded  by  natives,  and  were  unable  to  join 
Saleh  Aga,  and  that  some  of  them  had  been  killed. 
In  great  excitement,  at  eight  that  same  evening,  thirty 
more  soldiers  were  despatched  to  relieve  them.  That 
night  scarcely  anyone  slept,  for  the  station  was  al- 
most defenceless.  The  negroes  were  all  ripe  for 
rebellion,  and  might  have  risen  at  any  moment.  Our 
anxiety  was  further  increased  by  the  news  that  the 
day  before  some  of  Kaba-regga's  scouts  had  crossed 
the  lake  and  had  slaughtered  a  young  girl  and  a 
black  bullock  which  they  brought  over  with  them. 
These  they  buried  only  a  few  miles  from  the  station 
in  Boki's  country. 

This  is  the  recognized  method  of  declaring  war 
against  a  country,  and  obtains  in  Unyoro  and  Uganda . 
There  was  no  doubt  that  Kaba-regga's  emissaries 
had  been  very  busy  ever  since  the  rebellion 
had  broken  out  against  the  Pasha,  and  it  now 
appeared  that  he  intended  to  make  war  upon 
the  country.    We  knew  that  all  the  natives  would 


Saleli  Aga  rescued. 


be  ready  at  once  to  join  Kaba-regga  as  soon  as  he 
gave  tile  word  to  attack.  Emin  told  me  that  in 
Unyoro  and  Uganda,  when  it  was  desired  to  declare 
war  against  a  country,  they  send  people  over  the 
border  and  slaughter  a  black  cow  and  bury  a  boy  up 
to  his  neck  in  the  ground,  but  do  not  kill  him. 
Sometimes  he  is  taken  out  alive,  sometimes  he  is  left 
to  starve.  Large  human  sacrifices  are  also  made  to 
propitiate  the  spirits  in  the  hostile  country.  In  this 
case,  however,  the  cow  and  the  girl,  who  was  a  virgin, 
were  both  killed  and  buried.  Fresh  reports  of  in- 
subordination and  discontent  among  the  natives  kept 
coming  in  every  day,  till  it  seemed  that  a  general 
rising  I'ound  the  station  was  imminent.  Two  days 
of  intense  anxiety  passed  before  we  heard  that  Saleh 
Aga  and  the  soldiers  were  safe. 

Two  of  my  orderlies  came  in,  and  told  me  that  the 
second  relief  party  had  reached  them,  and  that  they 
had  gone  together  to  the  rescue  of  Saleh  Aga,  whom 
they  found  in  a  small  village,  round  which  they  had 
rapidly  run  up  a  rough  boma.  He  was  completely 
hemmed  in  by  large  numbers  of  natives,  and  had 
been  in  that  position  two  days.  Of  Saleh  Aga's 
party  of  twenty  soldiers,  a  non-commissioned  ojficer 
and  five  men  had  been  killed.  Saleh  Aga  and  the 
relief  party  arrived  soon  after,  bringing  with  them 
as  much  corn  as  they  could  carry.  This  collecting 
of  the  grain  tax  had  always  been  the  signal  for 
wholesale  robbery  of  the  natives  by  Emin's  people, 
and,  from  what  my  orderlies  said,  the  soldiers,  think- 
ing to  do  the  same  as  usual,  had  begun  to  loot.  The 
natives,  however,  being  on  the  verge  of  rebellion, 
had  attacked  them,  and  would  have  exterminated 


382 


Emin  Pasha. 


Saleh  Aga  and  his  party,  if  we  had  not  received 
timely  warning  of  his  position,  and  dispatched  a 
relief  party  without  delay.  This  little  affair  had  a 
bad  effect  on  the  natives  ;  beyond  burning  a 
few  villages  and  taking  some  corn,  Saleh  Aga,  even 
with  the  relief  party,  had  judged  it  expedient  to 
retire  before  them,  for  they  were  collecting  against 
him  from  all  sides.  This  method  of  collecting  the 
grain  tax  had  always  been,  even  in  Gordon's  time, 
almost,  an  atrocious  system.  For,  however  stringent 
the  Grovernor's  orders  were  against  the  soldiers 
looting  from  the  natives,  with  these  semi-barbaric 
soldiers  it  was  perfectly  impossible  to  prevent  it. 
Shortly  after  this  we  heard  that  chief  Boki  had 
suddenly  died.  He  was  taken  ill  in  the  morning  with 
pains  in  his  stomach,  and  before  evening  he  was 
dead.  Without  doubt  some  agent  of  Kaba-regga  had 
poisoned  him.  Before  dying,  he  sent  his  greetings  to 
Emin,  and  asked  him  to  look  after  his  son,  who  would 
now  be  chief  of  the  country.  Emin  told  me  the  son 
was  a  very  good  fellow,  and  had  always  been  friendly 
to  the  Egyptian  Government  ;  Boki,  he  had  always 
distrusted,  and  thought  he  was  in  league  with 
Kaba-regga,  which  now  seemed  unjust.  He  had 
a  very  hard  position  to  fill,  as  most  of  the  chiefs 
in  the  Province  had.  If  these  chiefs  were  not 
friendly  to  the  Government,  their  villages  and  fields 
were  destroyed,  and  their  Avomen,  cattle,  and  goats 
taken.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  they  were  friendly, 
they  had  to  pay  a  grain  tax  twice  a  year,  and  to  lend 
a  certain  amount  of  men  to  work  at  the  station  so 
many  days  in  a  week.  In  return  for  this  they  were 
allowed  the  privilege  of  labouring  on  their  own  land. 


Enforced  inaction. 


383 


but  got  little  or  110  protection.  It  cannot  therefore 
be  wondered  at  that  they  were  neither  altogether 
friendly  to  the  Egyptian  Government  nor  to  Kaba- 
regga.  They  tried  to  conciliate  both,  and  so  got 
the  character  for  double-dealing,  which  was  unjust. 

Owing  to  the  immense  number  of  ticks  and  insects 
which  infested  the  savannahs,  my  legs  at  last  got 
so  bad  that  I  had  to  give  up  going  out  shooting. 
My  legs  were  one  mass  of  bites,  and  these  quickly 
developed  into  large  open  sores,  which  were  most  pain- 
ful, and  kept  me  in  a  constant  feverish  state,  and  for 
several  days  I  was  obliged  to  remain  on  my  angarep. 
Emin  bathed  me  with  a  solution  of  opium  and  zinc, 
but,  as  it  did  no  good,  my  legs  were  plastered  over 
with  a  sort  of  ointment  made  of  butter  and  the  ash  of 
burnt  cotton  pods  ;  they  got  better,  but  the  pain  was 
so  great  I  was  unable  to  bear  anything  on  them.  I 
was  eating  my  heart  out  with  this  miserable  in- 
action, and  was  worn  and  worried  by  it  all ;  the  con- 
sequence was  I  got  several  bad  attacks  of  fever, 
which  made  me  very  weak  and  irritable. 

Owing  to  the  hostility  of  the  natives  there  was 
hardly  any  corn  to  be  obtained,  and  we  had  to  get 
nearly  all  our  supplies  of  corn  and  vegetables  from 
M'swa  ;  the  faithful  Shukri  Aga  sending  us  stores  in 
canoes  twice  a  week.  I  heard  from  an  Egyptian 
soldier  who  came  in  to  see  me,  that  much  the  same 
thing  was  going  on  round  Wadelai.  He  told  me  all 
the  natives  were  talking  of  rising,  and  from  him 
I  further  learned  that  the  soldiers  and  greater  part 
of  the  people  at  AYadelai  declared  they  would  not 
leave,  but  were  still  in  hope  that  they  would  be 
able  to  entice  Stanley  into  the  country  and  rob  him  of 


384 


Emin  Pasha. 


I 


his  guns  and  ammunition.    However,  I  had  given 
Stanley  warning  of  their  plot,  and  as  we  had  heard 
that  Mogo  with  my  letters  had  reached  X'sabe  safely, 
I   was   easy  in  my  mind  about   it.    A  party  of 
soldiers  came  in  later  from  Wadelai,  but  they  gave 
a  somewhat  unintelligible  story  about  what  had  been 
happening  there   since  the   evacuation  of  Dufile. 
They  told  me  that  when  they  started  from  Wadelai 
the  Council  had  already  been  sitting  for  ten  days. 
The  party  against  the  Mudir  had  at  first  been  very 
strong,  and  it  had  been  agreed  that  their  decision 
to  hang  us  should  be  summarily  carried  out.  But 
soon  the  officers  began   to  quarrel   a   great  deal 
amongst  themselves  on  different  subjects,  and  again 
our  safety  was  assured  by  their  being  unable  to  agree. 
Some  wanted  to  go  out,  others  refused  to  leave  the 
country.    Some  wanted  to  build  stations  on  the  east 
side  of  the  river,  and  some  on  the  west.  Altogether 
no  general  agreement  could  be  come  to  by  them  on 
any  subject.    We  were  told  that  the  usual  scenes  of 
drunkenness  and  debauchery  were  going  on  until 
Wadelai  had  become  a  perfect  hell.    The  soldiers  at 
Wadelai  disobeyed  orders,  and,  as  at  Dufile,  again 
clamoured  for  the  Mudir ;  not,  as  I  said  before, 
because  they  had  any  real  affection  for  him,  but 
because  they  had  tried  what  the  country  was  like 
under  the  rebels,  and  found  it  infinitely  less  com- 
fortable than  it  was  under  Emin.    They  saw  that 
every  officer  grabbed  all  he  could,  and  did  not  really 
care  for  any  one  but  himself,  and  then  the  soldiers  com- 
pletely lost  faith  in  their  officers  once  more.  These 
were  the  people  who  had  adopted  such  a  high  moral 
tone  when  they  had  written  from  Dufile  to  Selim 


Grass  Fires. 


Aga,  concerning  the  "  behaviour  of  Emin  Pasha  and 
his  companions." 

Fadl  el  Mulla  was  for  very  strong  measures 
against  us,  and  had  tried  to  carry  things  with  a 
high  hand,  but,  owing  to  the  jealousy  between  all 
the  officers,  he  had  not  carried  his  point.  Selim 
Aga,  their  self-elected  chief,  was  completely  put  on 
one  side,  and  Fadl  el  Mulla  acted  as  chief  through- 
out. The  officers  during  the  stormy  sittings  of  the 
Council  had  even  come  to  blows,  and  the  utmost 
confusion  had  reigned  in  the  station.  We  heard 
that  the  steamer  Khedive  was  on  her  way  up  to 
Tunguru,  but  had  stuck  on  the  sand  bar  near 
Wadelai,  and  owing  to  the  lowness  of  the  river, 
she  had  had  to  be  unloaded,  and  a  good  deal  of 
time  was  being  wasted  by  the  sailors,  who  would  only 
work  in  a  desultory  way. 

This  being  the  middle  of  the  dry  season,  the 
natives  were  burning  off  the  grass,  and  every  night 
enormous  tracts  could  be  seen  on  fire  on  the  mountain 
sides  ;  the  crackling  and  roaring  of  the  flames  could 
be  heard  a  couple  of  miles  off.  The  fires  on  the 
Unyoro  mountains,  on  the  other  side  of  the  lake, 
though  twenty  miles  distant,  looked  very  fine. 

These  annual  fires  must  make  a  great  difference 
in  the  vegetation,  and  would,  I  should  say,  account 
for  the  smallness  and  scarcity  of  the  trees  in  the 
open  country  where  the  grass  is  high.  On  the  table- 
lands about  Kavalli's,  there  were  scarcely  any  trees  to 
be  seen,  except  in  the  ravines.  The  few  trees  there 
were  in  the  open  were  scarcely  more  than  shrubs, 
usually  from  twelve  to  fifteen  feet  high,  and  these 
had  a  twisted  and  ill-tempered  appearance,  as  if  the 


386 


Emin  Pasha. 


annual  fires  were  a  great  trial  to  their  vitality  and 
tempers.  It  is  most  extraordinary  that  these  fires 
do  not  destroy  the  ticks  more  than  they  do.  For  the 
ground  is  perfectly  baked  on  the  surface  after  a  fire 
has  passed  over  it,  and  yet  Emin  told  me  that  in  a 
couple  of  months,  when  the  grass  had  grown  up  a 
little,  they  were  almost  as  plentiful  as  ever.  The  grass 
on  the  plain  about  Tunguru  was  eaten  down  short 
by  the  cattle,  and  presented  a  dreary,  parched-up  ap- 
pearance, and  the  yellow  glare  of  the  dry  grass  was  very 
trying  to  the  eyes.  There  was  one  large,  spreading 
fig-tree  in  the  middle  of  the  plain,  and  after  a  long 
tramp  out  shooting,  across  the  plain,  I  always  made 
for  this,  and  rested  under  its  shade.  In  those  glaring 
countries  any  piece  of  shade,  by  reason  of  the  contrast, 
was  doubly  grateful. 

I  shall  never  forget  a  certain  country  in  Unyam- 
wezi,  through  which  we  marched  on  our  way  from 
the  Victoria  Lake  to  the  coast.  After  leaving  Usongo 
we  came  to  a  wilderness  called  M'gunda  Makali ; 
there  were  no  villages  in  it,  and  scarcely  any  water. 
It  was  a  dreary  place,  so  burnt  up  and  parched,  with 
only  a  few  leafless  bushes,  and  glaring,  baked,  yellow 
sand  all  round.  There  were  great  plains  quivering 
with  heat,  the  very  sight  of  which  made  one  gasp 
for  breath.  We  had  been  toiling  through  a  long 
march,  and  were  parched  and  dried  up,  when  in  the 
distance  we  saw  a  huge  pile  of  rock,  rising  like  an 
island  from  the  plain,  in  the  shade  of  which  we 
camped.  Never  did  I  so  well  understand  what  is  said 
in  Isaiah,  "  The  shadow  of  a  great  rock  in  a  weary 
land,"  as  an  ideal  of  rest  and  relief.  The  words 
<5ame  into  my  mind  directly  we  sighted  it,  and  I  felt 


Biblical  Sayings  and  Similies. 


387 


pleasure  in  repeating  tliem  as  I  actually  sat  in  the 
shadow  of  the  great  rock  with  the  burning  "  weary 
land  "  around.  The  sayings  and  similes  in  the  Bible 
are  so  much  more  vividly  understood  when  a  person 
has  been  in  these  countries.  I  remember,  once,  when  I 
had  nothing  to  read,  Stanley  lent  me  his  Bible ;  and, 
after  being  in  the  country  on  the  plain  about  Kavalli's 
with  people  who  lived  amongst  their  flocks  and  herds, 
I  could  exactly  see  the  lives  of  Abraham,  Isaac, 
and  Jacob,  as  described  in  the  Bible ;  scenes  I  had 
remarked  on  those  mountain  plains  rose  before 
me  on  reading  Genesis.  There  seemed  to  be  a  fresh 
beauty  in  descriptions  which  before  I  had  passed  by 
without  notice. 

After  being  confined  nearly  a  week  to  my  angarep, 
I  was  able  to  get  about  again,  though  my  legs  were 
still  in  a  bad  state.  I  went  round  the  station, 
and  paid  visits  to  Casati,  Vita,  Marco,  and  others,  to 
try  and  get  them  to  add  their  persuasions  to  mine, 
to  induce  Emin  to  "move  to  M'swa,  for  though  the 
rebels  had  not  as  yet  sent  any  of  their  men  down  to 
be  a  guard  over  us,  we  did  not  know  if  they  might 
not  appear  any  day.  They  all  agreed  it  was  much 
better  to  start  at  once,  and,  if  necessary,  go  do^yn 
the  lake,  without  waiting  at  M'swa,  and  try  to  get 
to  Kavalli's.  Marco,  who  was  a  capital  old  fellow, 
was  strongly  in  favour  of  going  at  once,  and  said  he 
was  quite  ready  to  throw  away  most  of  his  things  if 
necessary,  and  start  without  delay.  While  I  was  talk- 
ing with  him,  he  showed  me  a  little  Colobus  monkey, 
not  more  than  a  week  old.  A  soldier  had  killed  the 
mother,  and  had  captured  the  little  one.  It  was 
such  a  queer-looking  little  thing,  exactly  like  a  baby. 

c  c  2 


I 


I 


388  Emin  Pasha. 

It  had  a  red  face,  and  was  covered  all  over  with 
white  silky  fluff.  It  sucked  milk  from  a  rag,  and 
seemed  to  be  doing  very  well. 

Emin  said  he  would  start  for  M'swa  directly  he 
heard  Stanley  had  arrived  at  the  lake,  but  not  before  ; 
it  was  no  good  urging  him,  it  only  made  him  more 
obstinate,  so  I  gave  it  up,  and  could  only  trust  that 
things  would  turn  out  all  right. 

The  next  day,  January  26th,  as  I  was  having  a 
bath  after  coming  in  from  shooting,  Emin  came 
hurriedly  into  my  hut,  and  in  great  excitement 
handed  me  two  letters  from  Stanley ;  there  was  one 
also  for  him. 

The  faithful  Mogo  had  returned  to  M'swa  with  the 
letters  the  evening  before,  and  Shukri  Aga  had  at 
once  sent  off  a  messenger  in  the  middle  of  the  night 
to  hand  them  to  Emin,  at  Tunguru.  Mogo  had 
arrived  at  Kavalli's  the  day  before  Stanley's  arrival 
there,  and  had  returned  at  once  with  them. 

I  leaped  out  of  my  bath,  and  eagerly  tore  them 
open.  The  news  contained  in  them  was  startling. 
They  were  as  follows  : — 

"  Camp  at  Gavira's,  one  day  from  the  Nyanza,  and 
one  day's  march  from  Mazamboni's,  west. 

"  January  17th,  1889. 

"  My  dear  Jephson, — Your  letter  of  Nov.  7th,  1888, 
with  two  postscripts,  one  dated  Nov.  24,  the  other 
dated  Dec.  18th,  is  to  hand,  and  its  contents  noted. 

"  I  will  not  criticize  your  letter,  nor  discuss  any 
of  its  contents.  I  wish  to  be  brief  and  promptly 
act.  With  that  view  I  present  you  with  a  precis  of 
events  connected  with  our  journey. 


I 

I 


I 

! 


i 


News  of  Stanley. 


"  We  separated  from  the  Pasha  on  the  23rd  May 
last,  with  the  understanding  that  in  about  two  months 
you,  with  or  without  the  Pasha,  would  start  for  Fort 
Bodo  with  sufficient  porters  to  take  the  goods  at  the 
Fort,  and  convey  them  to  the  Xyanza.  The  Pasha 
expressed  himself  anxious  to  see  Mount  Pisgah,  and 
if  words  may  be  relied  on,  he  was  anxious  to  assist  us 
in  his  own  relief.  AVe  somewhat  doubted  if  his 
affairs  would  permit  the  Pasha's  absence,  but  we  were 
assured  you  would  not  remain  inactive.  It  was  also 
understood  that  the  Pasha  would  erect  a  small  station, 
on  Nyamsassie  Island  as  a  provision  depot,  in  order 
that  our  Expedition  might  find  means  of  subsistence 
on  our  arrival  at  the  lake. 

"  Eight  months  have  elapsed,  and  not  one  single 
promise  has  been  performed. 

"  On  the  other  hand,  we,  faithful  to  our  promises, 
departed  from  the  Nyanza  plain,  May  25th,  arrived 
at  Fort  Bodo  June  8th,  fifteen  days  from  the  Wyanza. 
Conveying  to  Lieutenant  Stairs  and  Captain  Nelson 
your  comforting  assurances  that  you  would  be  there 
in  two  months,  and  giving  Stairs  and  ISTelson  orders  to 
evacuate  the  Fort,  and  accompany  you  to  the  Nyanza 
with  the  garrison,  which  with  the  Pasha's  soldiers 
would  have  made  a  strong  depot  of  Nyamsassie 
Island  ;  I  set  out  from  Fort  Bodo  on  the  16th  June, 
to  hunt  up  the  Major  and  his  column,  alone,  unac- 
companied by  any  officers.  On  the  10th  August  we 
overtook  our  couriers  who  had  left  Fort  Bodo  on  the 
15th  February  with  Stairs.  Of  the  twenty  couriers, 
three  had  been  killed,  two  were  so  debilitated  by  the 
effects  of  arrow  poison  that  they  eventually  died, 
fifteen  were  left,  but  only  one  has  carried.    On  the 


1 


39°  Emin  Pasha. 

morning  of  August  17th,  at  10  a.m.,  we  sighted  the 
rear  column  at  Banalya,  ninety  English  miles  from 
Yambuya,  592  miles  from  the  Xyanza,  on  the  63rd 
day  from  Fort  Bodo,  and  the  85th  day  from  the 
Nyanza  Plain.    The  rear  Column,  which  on  our  de- 
parture from  Yambuya  numbered  271,  all  told,  was  a 
mere  wreck.    Major  Barttelot  was  dead,  had  been 
shot  with  a  gun,  by  one  of  Tippu  Tib's  Manyema  on 
the  morning  of   the  21st  of  July.     Mr.  Jameson 
had  departed  on  the  23rd  July  for  Stanley  Falls,  and 
a  letter  dated  August  12th,  five  days  before  my  arrival 
at  Banalya,  states  that  he  was  about  descending  the 
Congo  River  for  Bangala  ;    but  the  couriers  who 
brought  his  letter  to  us  stoutly  asserted  his  last  in- 
tentions were  to  go  down  to  Banana  Point.  Mr. 
Herbert  AVard  had  been  sent  to  Bangala,  and  finally 
to  St.  Paul  de  Loanda.    He  had  returned,  and  reached 
Bangala  with  letters,  and  instructions  from  the  com- 
mittee, but  was  detained  there  by  order  of  Major 
Barttelot  !    Mr.  John  Rose  Troup  had  been  invalided 
home  in  June,  1888.    So  no  one  was  left  with  the 
wreck  of  the  rear  Column  except  William  Bonny, 
who  is  now  with  me  in  this  camp.    One  hundred 
Soudanese,  Zanzibaris,  and  Somalis  had  been  buried 
at  Yambuya  ;  thirty-three  men  were  left  at  Y'ambuya 
helpless  and  dying,  and  fourteen  of  these  died  later 
on  ;  twenty-six  deserted.    So  that  when  I  saw  Bonny 
and  his  people,  the  rear  column,  Zanzibaris,  Somalis, 
and  Soudanese,  numbered  102  all  told,  out  of  271, 
and  only  one  officer  out  of  five  I    Besides  this  de- 
plorable record,  the  condition  of  the  stores  was  just  as 
bad.    Out  of  660  loads — 65  lbs  each — there  remained 
only  230  loads,  of  65  lbs.  weight.    All  my  personal 


I 


Wreck  of  the  Rear  Column.  391  | 

i 

clothing,  except  hats,  boots,  one  flannel  jacket,  a  cap,  \ 
and  three  pairs  of  drawers,  had  been  sent  down  to 
Bangala,  because  rumour  had  stated  I  was  dead, 
and  the  advance  party  gone  to  the  dogs ;  a  remnant 
of  thirty,  however,  had  managed  to  escape  to 
Ujiji  !  !  ! 

"  I  sent  my  despatches  to  Stanley  Falls,  and  thence 
to  Europe,  and  on  the  31st  August  commenced  my 
return  towards  the  Nyanza.  Two  days  before  the 
date  stated  I  was  at  Fort  Bodo,  December  20th.  On  ' 
December  24th  we  moved  from  Fort  Bodo  towards 
the  Ituri  Ferry.  But  as  your  non-arrival  at  Fort 
Bodo  had  left  us  with  a  larger  number  of  goods  than 
our  force  could  carry  at  one  time,  we  had  to  make 
double  journeys  to  Fort  Bodo,  and  back  to  the  Ituri  ^ 
Ferry,  but  by  the  10th  January  all  that  remained  of 
the  Expedition,  with  all  its  effects,  were  on  the  east 
side  of  the  Ituri  River,  encamped  half  a  mile  from  the 
Ferry,  with  abundance  of  food  assured  for  months. 
On  the  12th  January,  I  left  Stairs,  Nelson,  Parke,  and 
my  servant,  at  the  Ituri  Ferry  camp,  with  150  people, 
and  started  for  the  lake  with  210  people  all  told,  to 
obtain  news  of  the  Pasha  and  3'ourself .  Your  absence 
from  the  Fort,  and  the  absolute  silence  respecting  you, 
all  made  us  suspect  that  serious  trouble  had  broken 
out.  Yesterday  your  letter,  as  above  stated,  came  to 
hand,  and  its  contents  explained  the  trouble. 

"  The  difficulties  I  met  at  Banalya  are  repeated  to- 
day near  the  Albert  Lake,  and  nothing  can  save  us 
now  from  being  overwhelmed  by  them  but  a  calm 
and  clear  decision.  If  I  had  hesitated  at  Banalya, 
very  likely  I  should  still  be  there  waiting  for  Jameson 
and  Ward,  with  my  own  men  dying  by  dozens  from 


392 


Emin  Pasha. 


sheer  inanition.  I  should  have  found  my  strength^ 
stores,  and  men  exhausted. 

"  Are  the  Pasha,  Casati,  and  yourself  to  share  the 
same  fate  ?  If  you  are  still  the  victims  of  indecision, 
then  a  long  good  night  to  you  all,  but  while  I  retain 
my  senses,  I  must  save  my  Expedition.  You  may  be 
saved  also  if  you  are  wise. 

"  In  the  '  High  Order '  of  the  Khedive,  dated 
February  1st,  1887,  No.  3,  to  Emin  Pasha,  a 
translation  of  which  was  handed  to  me,  I  find  the 
following  words  : — 

"  '  And  since  it  is  our  sincerest  desire  to  relieve 
you  with  your  officers  and  soldiers  from  the 
difficult  position  you  are  in,  our  Government  have 
made  up  their  mind  about  the  manner  by  which 
relief  from  these  troubles  may  be  obtained. 

"  '  A  mission  for  the  relief  has  been  formed,  and 
the  command  of  it  given  to  Mr.  Stanley,  the 
famous,  etc.,  etc.,  and  as  he  intends  to  set  out  on  it, 
with  all  necessary  provisions  for  you,  so  that  he 
may  bring  you  with  your  officers  and  men  to 
Cairo  by  the  route  he  may  think  proper  to'take. 

" '  Consequently  we  have  issued  this  '  High 
Order,'  to  you,  and  it  is  sent  to  you  by  the  hand  of 
Mr.  Stanley,  to  let  you  know  what  has  been  done. 
As  soon  as  it  reaches  you,  convey  my  best  wishes 
to  the  officers  and  men.  And  you  are  at  full 
liberty  with  regard  to  your  leaving  for  Cairo  or 
your  stay  there  with  officers  and  men. 

"  '  Our  Government  has  given  a  decision  for 
paying  your  salaries  with  that  of  the  officers  and 
men. 


Stanley  s  Letter. 


393 


"  '  Those  who  wish  to  stay  there  of  the  officers 
and  men  do  so  on  their  own  responsibility,  and 
they  may  not  expect  any  assistance  from  the 
Government. 

"  '  Try  to  understand  the  contents  well,  and  make 
them  well  known  to  all  the  officers  and  men,  that 
they  may  be  fully  aware  of  what  they  are  going 
to  do.' 

"It  is  precisely  what  the  Khedive  says,  that  I 
wish  to  say  to  you.  Try  and  understand  all  this 
thoroughly,  that  you  may  be  saved  from  the  effects 
of  indiscretion,  which  will  be  fatal  to  you  all  if  un- 
heeded, 

"  The  first  instalment  of  relief  was  handed  to 
Emin  Pasha  qn  or  about  May  1st,  1888.  The  second 
final  instalment  of  relief  is  at  this  camp  with  us, 
ready  for  delivery  at  any  place  the  Pasha  designates, 
or  to  any  person  charged  by  the  Pasha  to  receive  it. 
If  the  Pasha  fails  to  receive  it,  or  to  decide  what 
shall  be  done  with  it,  I  must  then  decide  briefly  what 
I  must  do. 

"  Our  second  object  in  coming  here  was  to 
receive  such  at  our  camp  as  were  disposed  to  leave 
Africa  ;  our  Expedition  has  no  further  business  in 
these  regions,  and  will  at  once  retire. 

"  Try  and  understand  what  all  this  means.  Try 
and  see  the  utter,  and  final  abandonment  of  all  further 
relief,  and  the  bitter  end  and  fate  of  those 
obstinate  and  misguided  people,  who  decline  assist- 
ance when  tendered  to  them.  From  May  1st,  1888, 
to  January  1889,  are  nine  months,  so  long  a  time 
to  consider  a  simple  proposition  of  leaving  Africa  or 
staying  here  ! 


394 


Emin  Pasha. 


"  Therefore,  in  the  ojEcial  and  formal  letter 
accompanying  this  explanatory  note  to  you,  I 
designate  Kavalli's  village  as  the  rendezvous,  where 
T  am  willing  to  receive  those  desirous  of  leaving 
Africa,  subject,  of  course,  to  any  new  light  thrown 
upon  the  complication  by  a  personal  interview,  or  a 
second  letter  from  you. 

"  And  noAV  I  address  myself  to  you  personally.  If 
you  consider  yourself  still  a  member  of  the  Expedi- 
tion, subject  to  my  orders,  then,  upon  receipt  of  this 
letter,  you  will  at  once  leave  for  Kavalli's  with  such 
of  my  men,  Binza,  and  the  three  Soudanese,  as  are 
willing  to  obey  you,  and  bring  me  the  final  decision 
of  Emin  Pasha,  and  Signor  Casati,  respecting  their 
personal  intentions.  If  I  am  not  at  Kavalli's 
then  stay  there,  and  send  word  by  letter  by  Kavalli's 
messengers,  to  M'pinga,  chief  of  Gavira's,  who  will 
transmit  the  same  to  Mazamboni,  where  probably  I 
shall  receive  it. 

"  You  will  understand  that  it  will  be  a  severe 
strain  on  Kavalli's  resources  to  maintain  us  with 
provisions  for  longer  than  six  days,  and  if  you  are 
longer  than  this  period  we  must  retire  to  Mazamboni's, 
and  finally  to  our  camp  on  the  Ituri  Ferry;  otherwise 
we  must  seize  provisions  by  force,  and  any  act  of 
violence  would  cut  off  and  close  native  communica- 
tion, this  difficulty  might  have  been  avoided  had  the 
Pasha  followed  my  suggestion  of  making  a  depot  at 
Nyamsassie.  The  fact  that  there  are  provisions  at 
M'swa  does  not  help  us  at  all.  There  are  provisions 
in  Europe  also,  but  unfortunately  they  are  as  in- 
accessible as  those  of  M'swa.  We  have  no  boat 
now  to  communicate  by  lake,  and  you  do  not  mention 


Stanley's  Letter.  395 

what  has  become  of  the  steamers,  the  Khedive  and 
Ni/anza. 

"  I  understand  that  the  Pasha  has  been  deposed, 
and  is  a  prisoner.  Who  then  is  to  communicate 
with  me  respecting  what  has  to  be  done  ?  I  have 
no  authority  to  receive  communications  from  oflBcers, 
mutineers.  It  was  Emin  Pasha  and  people  I  was 
supposed  to  relieve.  If  Emin  Pasha  were  dead,  then 
to  his  lawful  successor  in  authority.  Emin  Pasha 
being  alive,  I  can  receive  no  communications  from 
any  other  person  unless  he  be  designated  by  the 
Pasha.  Therefore,  the  Pasha,  if  he  be  unable  to 
come  in  person  to  meet  me  at  Kavalli's,  with  a 
sufficient  escort  of  faithful  men,  or  be  able  to 
appoint  some  person  authorized  to  receive  this 
relief,  it  will  remain  for  me  to  destroy  the  ammuni- 
tion, so  laboriously  brought  here,  and  return  home. 

"  You  must  understand  that  my  people  are  only 
porters.  They  have  performed  their  contract  with 
me  with  a  fidelity  unexampled,  and  having  brought 
the  boat  and  goods  here,  their  duty  is  ended.  You 
have  been  pleased  to  destroy  the  boat  and  have 
injured  us  irreparably  by  doing  so.  I  presume  the 
two  cases  of  Winchester  ammunition  left  with  the 
Pasha  are  lost  also. 

"  I  ought  to  mention  also  that  the  people  at  the 
Ituri  ferry  camp  are  almost  all  sick,  and  will  be  un- 
able to  move  for  at  least  a  month. 

"  And  also  I  have  brought  with  me  about  100 
Manyema,  with  forty-two  of  whom  I  have  contracted 
to  pay  a  tusk  of  ivory  to  each,  for  forty-two  loads 
they  have  brought  here  for  Emin  Pasha. 

"  Therefore,  to  satisfy  them,  I  require  forty- two 


396 


Emin  Pasha. 


tusks  of  ivory  to  pay  them.  Please  consider  how  this 
can  be  done  to  their  satisfaction. 

"  Also  consider  how  we  are  to  be  supplied  with  food, 
pending  the  termination  of  this  eventful  part  of  our 
journey,  if  we  have  to  return  to  the  neighbourhood 
of  Kavalli's  or  the  Lake,  to  await  this  long  deferred 
decision  on  the  part  of  the  Pasha  and  his  men. 

"  Finally,  if  the  Pasha's  people  are  desirous  of 
leaving  this  part  of  Africa,  and  settle  in  some  country 
not  far  remote  from  here,  or  anj^where  bordering  the 
Nyanza  (Victoria),  or  along  the  route  to  Zanzibar,  I 
am  perfectly  ready  to  assist,  besides  escorting  those 
who  wish  to  go  home  to  Cairo  safely.  But  I  must 
have  clear  and  definite  assertions,  followed  by 
promptitude,  according  to  such  orders  as  I  shall  give 
for  effecting  this  purpose  ;  or  a  clear  and  definite 
refusal,  as  we  cannot  stay  here  all  our  lives  awaiting 
people  who  seem  to  be  not  very  clear  as  to  what  they 
wish. 

"  Give  my  best  wishes  to  the  Pasha  and  Signer 
Casati,  and  I  hope  and  pray  wisdom  may  guide  them 
both  before  it  is  too  late.  I  long  to  see  you,  my  dear 
fellow,  and  hear  from  your  own  lips  your  story. 

"  Yours  very  sincerely, 
"  Henry  M.  Stanley. 

*'  To  A.  J.  Mounteney  Jephson,  Esq." 

"  Strictly  personal.  K&valli's. 

"  Jan.  18th,  1889,  3  p.m. 

"  My  dear  Jephson, — I  sent  a  brief  note  of  news 
from  Mazamboni's  the  same  day  I  arrived  there  with 
a  view  to  confirm  a  rumour  of  our  being  in  the 


Stanley  s  Second  Letter.  397 

Tieighbourliood,  if  auy  sucli  was  afloat.  I  hear, 
on  arriving  here,  that  the  note  was  put  into  the 
liands  of  Mogo,  who  stopped  at  Kyan  Kendo's,  who 
seems  to  have  built  his  new  village  on  the  very  spot 
where  we  met  the  Pasha  and  yourself  the  day  of  our 
arrival  at  the  Lake. 

"  I  now  send  thirty  rifles,  and  three  of  Kavalli's 
men  down  to  the  Lake  with  these  letters  with  urgent 
instructions  that  a  canoe  should  set  off  and  the 
bearers  be  rewarded. 

*'  I  may  be  able  to  stay  longer  than  six  days  here, 
perhaps  ten  days.  I  will  do  my  best  to  prolong  my 
stay  here,  until  you  arrive,  without  rupture.  Our 
people  have  a  good  store  of  beads,  cowries  and  cloth, 
and  I  notice  that  the  natives  trade  very  readily, 
which  will  assist  Kavalli's  resources  in  case  he  gets 
weary  at  our  prolonged  stay. 

"  If  you  can  bring  any  thing  in  the  way  of  food, 
such  as  a  store  of  grain  or  a  few  head  of  cattle,  then, 
of  course,  matters  will  be  smoothed  for  a  stay  of  many 
days.  Some  of  the  Pasha's  whiskey  would  be 
desirable  also,  as  well  as  a  little  oil  for  the  whites  for 
cooking. 

"  Be  wise,  be  quick,  and  waste  no  hour  of  time,  and 
bring  Binza  and  the  three  Soudanese  with  you.  I 
have  read  your  letters  half  a  dozen  times  over,  but  I 
fail  to  grasp  the  situation  thoroughly,  because  in 
some  important  details  one  letter  contradicts  the 
other.  In  one  you  say  the  Pasha  is  a  close  prisoner 
— while  you  are  allowed  a  certain  amount  of  liberty 
— in  the  other  you  say  you  will  come  to  me  as  soon 
as  you  hear  of  our  arrival  here,  and  '  I  trust '  you 
say,  '  the  Pasha  will  be  able  to  come  with  me  to  see 


398 


Emin  Pasha. 


you.'  All  this  is  not  very  clear  to  us  who  are  fresh 
from  the  bush.  How,  being  a  prisoner,  you  could 
leave  Tunguru  at  all,  I  fail  to  see. 

"  If  the  Pasha  can  come,  send,  on  your  arrival,  at 
Kyan  Kondo's,  a  native  courier  to  announce  the  fact, 
and  I  will  dispatch  a  strong  detachment  to  escort 
him  up  here,  even  to  carry  him  if  he  needs  it.  I 
feel  too  exhausted  after  my  1300  miles  march,  to  go 
down  to  the  Lake  again.  I  hope  the  Pasha  will  have 
a  little  pity  for  me.  Don't  be  alarmed  or  uneasy  on 
our  account.  Nothing  hostile  can  approach  us 
within  twelve  miles  without  my  knowing  it.  I  am 
in  the  midst  of  a  friendly  population,  and  if  I  sound 
the  war  note,  within  four  hours  I  can  have  2000 
warriors  to  assist  to  repel  any  force  disposed  for 
violence.  And  if  it  is  to  be  a  war  of  wits,  why  then, 
I  am  ready  for  the  cunningest  Arab  alive.  I  said 
above  that  I  read  your  letters  half  a  dozen  times,  and 
my  opinion  of  you  varies  with  each  reading.  Some- 
times I  think  you  are  half  a  Mahdist,  or  Arabist,  then 
Eminist;  I  shall  be  wiser  when  I  see  you.  Jameson 
paid  a  thousand  pounds  to  accompany  us.  "^'ell,  you 
see,  he  disobeyed  orders  and  we  left  him  to  ponder  on 
the  things  he  had  done.  "VYard,  you  know,  was  very 
eager  to  accompany  us,  but  he  disobeyed  orders  and  he 
was  left  at  Bangala,  a  victim  to  his  craving  for  novel 
adventures.  Barttelot,  poor  fellow,  was  mad  for 
Kudos,  but  he  has  lost  his  life,  and  all — a  victim  to 
perverseness.  Xow,  don't  you  be  perverse,  but  obey, 
and  set  my  order  to  you  as  a  frontlet  between  the 
eyes,  and  all,  with  God's  gracious  help,  will  end  well. 

"  I  want  to  help  the  Pasha  somehow,  but  he  must 
help  me  and  credit  me.    If  he  wishes  to  get  out  of 


Stanley  s  Second  Letter. 


399 


this  trouble,  I  am  his  devoted  servant  and  friend,  but 
if  he  hesitates,  something  rises  within  me  which 
causes  me  excessive  wonder  and  perplexity.  I  could 
save  a  dozen  Pashas  if  they  were  willing  to  be  saved. 
I  could  go  on  ray  knees  and  implore  the  Pasha  to  be 
sensible  in  his  own  case.  He  is  wise  enough  in  all 
conscience,  in  all  things  else,  save  in  his  own  interest. 
Be  kind  and  good  to  him  for  many  virtues,  but  do 
not  you  be  drawn  into  that  fatal  fascination,  which 
Soudan  territory  seems  to  have  for  all  Europeans,  of 
late  years,  for  as  soon  as  they  touch  its  ground,  they 
seem  to  be  drawn  into  a  whirlpool  which  sucks  them 
in  and  covers  them  with  its  waves.  The  only  way 
to  avoid  it,  is  to  obey  blindly,  and  devotedly,  and  un- 
questioningly  all  orders  from  the  outside. 

"  The  committee  said  '  relieve  Emin  Pasha  with  this 
ammunition.  If  he  wants  to  come  out,  the  ammuni- 
tion will  enable  him  to  do  so.'  The  Khedive  said  the 
same  thing,  and  added,  '  but  if  the  Pasha  and  the 
officers  elect  to  stay,  they  do  so  on  their  own  respon- 
sibility.' Baring  said  the  same  thing,  clearly  and 
decidedly,  and  here  I  am,  after  4100  miles  of  travel, 
with  the  last  instalment  of  relief.  Let  him,  who  is 
authorized  to  take  it,  take  it.  Let  him,  who  wants  to 
come  out  of  this  devouring  circle,  come.  I  am  ready 
to  lend  all  my  strength  and  wit  to  assist  him.  But 
this  time  there  must  be  no  hesitation,  but  positive 
yea  or  nay,  and  home  we  go. 

"  Yours  very  sincerely, 

"  H.  M.  Stanley. 

"  To  A.  J.  M.  Jephsm,  Esq. 

"  P.S. — Yesterday,  your  letters  were  brought  to  me 


400 


Einin  Pasha. 


in  the  midst  of  a  bad  attack  of  fever.  To-day,  T  am 
all  right  and  have  marched  nearer  to  you  by  eight 
miles,  and  it  is  bright  sunshine. 

"  H.  M.  S." 

These  were  Stanley's  letters  to  me.  His  letter  to 
Emin  was  as  follows  : — 

"  Camp  at  M'pinga's.  One  long  march  from  the 
jN"yanza,  and  ten  miles  east  of  Mazamboni's. 

"  To  his  Excellency,  Emin  Pasha, 

"  Governor  of  the  Equatorial  Province. 
"  Sir, — I  have  the  honour  to  inform  you  that  the 
second  instalment  of  relief,  which  this  Expedition  was 
ordered  to  convey  to  you,  is  now  in  this  camp,  ready 
for  deliver}"  to  any  person  charged  to  receive  it  by 
you.  If  you  should  prefer  that  we  should  deposit 
it  at  Kavalli's  or  at  Kyan  Kondo's  on  the  Lake,  we 
shall  be  ready  to  do  so  on  the  receipt  of  your  instruc- 
tions. The  second  instalment  of  relief  consists  of  63 
■cases  of  Remington  cartridges,  26  cases  of  gun- 
powder— each  451bs.weight,4  cases  of  percussion  caps, 
4  bales  of  goods,  1  bale  of  goods  for  Signor  Casati — a 
present  from  myself — two  pieces  of  blue  serge,  writ- 
ing paper,  envelopes,  blank  books,  &c.  Having,  after 
great  difficulty,  greater  than  was  anticipated,  brought 
relief  to  3"ou,  I  am  constrained  to  officially  demand 
from  you  receipts  for  the  above  goods  and  relief 
brought  to  you,  and  also  a  definite  answer  to  the 
question  if  you  propose  to  accept  our  escort  and  assis- 
tance to  reach  Zanzibar,  or  if  Signor  Casati  proposes 
to  do  so,  or  whether  there  are  any  officers  or  men 
disposed  to  accept  of  our  safe  conduct  to  the  sea.  In 
the  latter  event  I  would  be  obliged  to  yon  if  you 


Stanley  s  Letter  to  Emin.  401 


•would  kindly  state  how  those  persons,  desirous  of 
leaving  Africa,  can  be  communicated  with. 

"  I  would  respectfully  suggest  that  all  persons 
desirous  of  leaving  with  me,  should  proceed  to,  and 
form  camp  either  at  N'sabe  or  at  Kyan  Kendo's,  on 
the  Lake,  with  sufficient  stores  of  grain,  &c.,  to  sup- 
port them  one  month,  and  that  a  note  should  be  sent 
to  me,  to  inform  me  of  the  same,  via  Kavalli's,  whence 
I  soon  may  receive  it. 

"  The  person  in  charge  of  the  people  at  this  camp 
will  inform  me  definitely  whether  the  people  are 
ready  to  accept  of  our  safe  conduct,  and  upon  being 
thus  informed,  I  shall  be  pleased  to  assume  all  further 
charge  of  them.  Here  below  I  beg  to  present  you 
with  an  approximate  statement  of  our  movements, 
pending  the  receipt  of  your  answer,  which  is  com- 
pulsory on  us,  owing  to  the  fact  that,  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  lake,  the  supply  of  food  is  very  precarious  and 
uncertain,  unless  seized  by  force,  which,  considering 
the  state  of  affairs  in  your  Province,  would  be  very 
impolitic.  If  at  the  end  of  twenty  days  no  news  has 
been  heard  from  you  or  Mr.  Jephson,  I  cannot  hold 
myself  responsible  for  what  may  happen.  We  should 
be  glad  to  stay  at  Kavalli's  if  we  were  assured  of  food, 
but  a  large  following  cannot  be  maintained  there 
except  by  exacting  contributions  by  force,  which 
would  entirely  close  our  intercourse  with  the  natives, 
and  prevent  us  from  being  able  to  communicate  with 
you.  If  grain  could  be  landed  at  Kyan  Kondo's  by 
steamer,  left  in  charge  of  six  or  seven  of  your  men,  I 
could,  on  being  informed  of  the  fact,  send  a  detach- 
ment of  my  men  to  convey  it  to  the  plateau.  It  is 
only  the  question  of  food  which  creates  anxiety. 

D  d 


402 


Emin  Pasha. 


Hence  you  will  perceive  I  am  under  the  necessity  of 
requesting  you  to  be  very  definite  and  prompt,  if  you 
have  the  power. 

"  If  within  this  period  of  twenty  days  you  will  be 
able  to  communicate  with  me,  and  inform  or  suggest 
to  me,  any  way  how  I  can  make  myself  useful,  or  lend 
effective  aid  to  you,  I  promise  to  strain  every  effort 
to  perform  service  to  you.  Meanwhile,  awaiting 
your  answer  with  great  anxiety, 

"  I  am,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  Henry  M.  Stanley, 

"  Commanding  Belief  Expedition.** 

These  were  the  two  letters.  Stanley's  letter  to 
Emin  was,  of  course,  only  an  official  letter,  and  quite 
impersonal.  After  reading  his  letters  to  me,  I  sat  on 
my  bed  with  a  feeling  of  numbness  at  the  terrible 
news  about  the  rear  column.  We  had  all  thought 
that  there  would  be  great  troubles  at  Yambuya,  but 
we  had  never  conjectured  anything  so  bad  as  this. 
Knowing  the  Manyema  as  I  did,  I  could,  in  my  mind, 
fill  up  the  gaps  in  Stanley's  short  account  of  what  he 
found  on  his  arrival  at  Banalya.  Poor  Barttelot, 
what  a  fate  was  his  !  The  tears  came  into  my  eyes 
when  I  thought  of  him,  as  I  knew  him  at  home,  full 
of  life  and  go,  and  spirits,  with  all  his  gaiety  and 
brightness,  and  deserved  popularity.  And  this  was 
the  end  of  it  all  !  It  was  too  sad  to  think  of,  his  short 
and  brilliant  career  cut  off  suddenly,  without  warning, 
by  the  cowardly  shot  of  a  Manyema  slave  raider.  The 
hardest  part  of  the  experiences  a  man  travelling  in 
Africa  has  to  go  through,  is  not  the  physical  hard- 
ships, starvation,  or  disappointments,  but  the  suffer- 


Bariteht's  sad  Death.  403 

ings  and  deaths  of  his  comrades,  European  or  negro. 
The  hardships  and  starvation  may  be  forgotten  ;  but 
the  deaths  of  such  men  as  Barttelot  and  Jameson, 
and  of  our  faithful  Zanzibaris,  must  ever  remain 
fresh  in  my  memory  as  the  saddest  of  the  many  sad 
memories  which  rise  in  my  mind  whenever  I  think 
of  these  past  three  years. 

That  Barttelot  had  done  his  duty  bravely  and 
honestly,  I  never  for  a  moment  doubted.  He  may 
have  been  injudicious,  he  may  have  been  hasty. 
The  story  of  that  terrible  time  will  never,  I  fear,  be 
correctly  known  ;  but  whatever  may  have  happened, 
any  one  who  really  knew  him  must  intuitively  re- 
cognize that  he  was  honourable  and  upright  and 
brave,  and  that,  like  Lawrence,  he  tried  to  do  his 
duty. 

Of  poor  Jameson's  death  we  did  not  hear  till  long 
afterwards,  when  we  reached  Usambiro,  on  the 
Victoria  Xyanza.  We  had  been  looking  forward  to 
seeing  him  again,  and  hearing  the  story  of  those 
dark  days  with  the  rear  column  from  his  own  lips. 
Europeans  and  Zanzibaris  alike  were  cast  down 
when  we  heard  of  his  death.  We  had  only  known 
him  for  five  months,  but  during  that  short  time  he 
had  endeared  himself  to  us  by  a  hundred  acts  of  kind- 
ness. The  Zanzibaris  of  the  rear  column  all  spoke 
in  praise  of  him,  for  all  of  us,  Europeans  or  negroes, 
had  been  strongly  attracted  to  him  by  his  kindly 
ways,  cheeriness,  and  unselfishness. 

We  had  been  looking  for  Stanley's  arrival,  and 
were  hoping,  if  the  worst  came  to  the  worst,  he 
would,  with  his  augmented  strength,  be  able  to 
extricate  Emin  by  force  if  necessary.    But  instead  of 

D  d  2 


404  Emi7i  Pasha. 

his  being  strengthened,  he  had  a  tale  to  tell  of  death 
and  disaster  only. 

However,  it  was  no  good  sitting  still  and  thinking. 
I  went  to  Emin  and  handed  him  Stanley's  letters  to 
me  to  read.  He  seemed  dreadfully  hurt  that  Stanley 
had  not  sent  him  a  private  letter  apart  from  the 
official  one  he  had  received.  I  pointed  out  to  him 
that  I  had  told  Stanley  to  write  chiefly  to  me,  as  I 
feared  letters  addressed  to  him  might  be  seized  by 
the  rebels.  I  said  that  now  was  his  chance  to  start ; 
Stanley  was  at  Kavalli's,  and  was  ready  to  receive 
him  at  his  camp  ;  I  reminded  him  that  he  had  twice 
said  that  when  Stanley  arrived  at  the  lake  he  would 
have  no  hesitation  in  leaving.  But  he  still  said  he 
would  wait  and  see  what  happened.  It  was  hope- 
less to  urge  him.  I  then  told  him  that  Stanley  had 
given  me  a  distinct  order,  that  on  the  receipt  of  his 
letter  I  was  to  start  without  delay,  and  that  order  I 
intended  to  carry  out  implicitly  by  starting  the  next 
morning  to  join  him.  To  this  he  perfectly  agreed, 
and  did  all  he  could  to  help  me  in  every  way. 
Saleh  Aga,  the  chief  of  station,  was  sent  for  and 
was  told  that  Stanley  had  arrived.  Emin  said  I  had 
had  an  order  from  my  chief  to  join  him  without 
delay,  and  that  he  must  give  me  the  canoes  to  take 
me  up  to  M'swa.  The  canoes,  he  said,  were  away. 
"  Well,  then,"  said  Emin,  "  you  must  give  Mr. 
Jephson  fifteen  carriers  and  an  escort  to  take  him  to 
M'swa.  Selah  Aga  did  not  seem  quite  to  know  what 
to  do,  for  he  had  received  strict  orders  from  the 
rebel  officers  that  none  of  us  were  to  leave  the 
station.  But  Emin  urged  him,  and  he  at  last, 
reluctantly,  I  thought,  agreed  that  he  would  do  his. 


Saleh  Aga  objects  to  my  leaving.  405. 

best  to  get  the  carriers,  but  represented  how  diflBcult 
it  was  to  collect  them,  owing  to  the  disturbed  state 
of  the  country.  I  then  began  my  preparations  for  a 
start  overland  to  M'swa,  which  I  hoped  to  reach  in 
two  days.  In  the  afternoon  I  sent  my  boy  Binza 
into  the  station,  with  orders  to  walk  casually  about 
and  try  and  learn  what  effect  the  news  of  Stanley's 
arrival  had  upon  the  people  in  general.  After  a 
couple  of  hours  he  returned  and  told  me  that  every 
one  was  talking  excitedly  about  the  news,  and  that  he 
had  heard  that  Saleh  Aga  was  going  to  send  a  letter 
down  to  the  rebel  officers  at  "Wadelai,  telling  them 
of  Stanley's  arrival,  and  that  it  was  my  wish  to  join 
him,  and  that  before  allowing  me  to  start  he  wished  to 
have  their  permission  to  do  so.  This  was  just  what 
I  feared.  I  immediately  despatched  my  boy  with  a 
message  to  Saleh  Aga  that  I  wished  to  speak 
privately  to  him  in  my  house.  In  half  an  hour  he 
appeared.  The  torrent  of  invectives  I  hurled  at  him 
must  have  astonished  him;  he  stood  looking  at  the 
ground  and  shifting  uneasily  from  leg  to  leg.  He 
assured  me  that  he  had  no  such  intention  as  I 
supposed.  But  I  told  him  that  I  did  not  trust  the 
word  of  one  of  Bmin's  people  who  had  gone  against 
him  in  the  rebellion.  I  continued  that  I  intended  to 
start  early  the  next  day,  carriers  or  no  carriers,  I 
would  go  with  my  boy  Binza  and  my  three  orderlies 
only,  and  if  any  one  dared  to  stop  me  I  should  order 
my  men  to  fire  on  them ;  my  Winchester  con- 
tained fifteen  cartridges  and  my  orderlies  had 
three  Remingtons.  Saleh  Aga  was  a  little  bit  of  a 
man  and  seemed  cowed  by  my  very  vociferous 
tirade;  he  left  my  hut  protesting  that  the  report  I 


4o6 


Emin  Pasha. 


had  heard  was  not  true,  and  that  I  was  labouring 
under  a  complete  misapprehension.  Be  that  as  it 
might,  I  told  him  I  was  determined  on  starting.  I 
told  Casati  I  had  been  speaking  to  Saleh  Aga,  and 
asked  him  to  look  out  for  any  reports  he  might  hear 
in  the  station,  as  he  always  heard  everything  that 
was  going  on, 

Emin  wrote  a  letter  to  Stanley,  which  I  was  to 
take  with  me,  and,  with  his  usual  kindness,  busied 
himself  all  the  afternoon  by  seeing  that  his  servants 
provided  for  my  journey  with  the  very  best  his  house 
could  afford.  Emin  was  one  of  those  men  who 
would  deny  himself  things  in  order  t aat  he  might 
have  the  pleasure  of  giving  them  to  others,  and 
nothing  hurt  him  more  than  for  a  person  to  refuse 
his  gifts.  Gifts  of  no  great  value  in  themselves, — 
poor  fellow  !  he  had  little  enough  to  give  ;  but  they 
were  tokens  of  an  unselfish  thoughtfulness  which 
always  made  them  doubly  valuable.  It  was  only 
when  one  came  to  large  and  important  things  that 
one  found  it  impossible  to  do  anything  with  him. 

In  the  evening  the  steamer  Khedice  came  in,  bring- 
ing a  number  of  refugees  in  her  from  ^Vadelai, 
among  them  Hawashi  Effendi  and  a  great  many 
clerks.  Emin  sent  for  the  captain  and  told  him 
that  Stanley  had  arrived,  and  that  as  I  was  going 
to  M'swa  he  should  take  me  down  in  the  steamer. 
To  this  he  agreed,  and  it  was  decided  that  wood 
should  be  collected  on  the  next  day,  and  I  should 
start  at  mid-day  in  the  steamer.  The  captain  was 
one  of  those  who  had  been  wounded  by  the  Donagla 
when  they  had  captured  the  steamers  at  Dufile.  He 
had  a  frightful  sword-cut  from  his  forehead  to  his 


Arrival  of  the  Steamer. 


407 


cliin,  which  had  laid  his  cheek  completely  open,  but 
it  was  healing  in  the  most  remarkable  manner.  I 
have  often  noticed  amongst  negroes  that  either  their 
wounds  heal  immensely  quicker  than  those  of 
Europeans,  or  become  far  more  rapidly  worse. 
Ever}i;hing  about  negroes  seems  to  be  in  extremes. 
It  was  decided  also  that  the  refugees  which  the 
steamer  had  brought  from  Wadelai  should  proceed 
with  me  also  to  M'swa,  but  the  sailors  refused  to  go 
further  than  M'swa,  as  they  were  under  strict 
orders  to  return  as  soon  as  possible  to  Wadelai. 
Owing  to  the  idleness  of  the  soldiers  very  little  wood 
was  collected  during  the  next  day;  it  was  evident  they 
were  doing  all  they  could  to  delay  my  start  until  the 
rebel  officers  in  Wadelai  heard  of  Stanley's  arrival. 
The  sailors,  we  heard  during  the  day,  had  left  the 
steamer  in  a  body,  refusing  to  work.  Casati  came 
and  told  us  about  it,  and  we  went  to  see  what  was  the 
matter.  The  sailors  first  of  all  said  they  did  not  wish 
to  go  to  M'swa,  but  after  I  had  spoken  to  them 
for  a  long  time  they  agreed  to  go  on  condition  they 
were  allowed  to  go  with  some  other  man  as  captain, 
as  the  proper  captain  of  the  steamer  was  obnoxious 
to  them.  It  was  agreed,  therefore,  that  a  man  whom 
they  chose  themselves  should  act  as  captain,  and  that 
the  former  captain  should  remain  at  Tunguru. 

Numbers  of  people  came  into  my  house  during  the 
day  to  ask  me  to  take  them  to  M'swa  with  me  if 
possible. 

Very  little  wood  had  been  brought  for  the 
steamers,  hardly  enough  to  enable  us  to  reach  a 
certain  place  near  some  hot  springs,  where  Chief 
Ouma  usually  had  some  wood  stacked  ready.  How- 


4o8 


Emin  Pasha. 


ever,  I  determined  to  start  next  morning,  and  trust 
to  the  chance  of  getting  a  further  supply  on  the 
road. 

In  the  afternoon  I  wrote  a  letter  to  Selim  Aga, 
telling  him  of  Stanley's  arrival,  and  urging  him,  if 
the  party  for  the  Pasha  was  sufficiently  strong,  to 
come  in  the  steamer  if  possible  to  Tunguru,  and  take 
the  Pasha  on  with  him  to  N'sabe  to  see  Stanley.  I 
further  told  him  to  bring  down  forty-two  tusks  of 
ivory  to  enable  Stanley  to  pay  Tippu  Tib's  men  for 
carrying  the  ammunition  to  the  lake.  This  letter 
was  to  be  sent  by  special  couriers  to  AVadelai  after 
I  had  left  Tunguru. 

The  rumours  set  about  the  station,  concerning 
Stanley's  coming,  by  the  soldier  who  brought  the 
letters  from  M'swa,  had  a  very  good  effect,  and  though 
I  felt  certain  they  could  not  be  true  I  did  not  con- 
tradict them.  The  news  he  told  was  that  Stanley 
had  arrived  with  a  marvellous  machine  gun,  which 
mowed  people  down  by  hundreds,  and  that  he  had 
also  brought  with  him  an  immense  horde  of  Tippu 
Tib's  Manyema,  who  were  the  terror  of  the  country. 
Exaggerated  stories  had  been  told  by  the  natives 
what  terrible  people  these  Arab  slave-raiders  were, 
and  the  soldier  had  added  to  the  story,  so  that 
Stanley  was  supposed  to  be  immensely  strong.  It 
had  the  good  effect,  however,  of  making  the  people 
somewhat  nervous  of  putting  the  difficulties  they 
probably  would  have  otherwise  made,  to  prevent  my 
starting. 

The  rumours  we  had  heard  a  few  davs  before, 
concerning  the  Council,  and  the  general  condition  of 
things  at  Wadelai,  were  confirmed  by  the  people  who 


jE?nvi  writes  to  Stanley. 


409 


came  in  the  steamer,  who  said  that  there  were  now 
half-a-dozen  different  parties,  each  contending  to  get 
its  own  way.  The  two  strongest  parties  were,  how- 
ever, headed  by  Fadl  el  Mulla,  and  Selim  Aga, 
respectively,  though  I  do  not  think  either  knew  very 
well  what  he  really  wanted. 

In  the  evening  Emin  read  me  the  letter  he  had 
written  to  Stanley,  and  I  see  the  following  remark 
upon  it  in  my  journal  ; — 

"  The  Pasha  wrote  a  letter  to  Stanley  in  answer 
to  his,  but  from  what  he  read  out  to  me  I  do  not 
think  he  has  written  very  definitely,  and  I  hardly 
think,  however  easy  and  simple  the  circumstances 
might  be,  that  it  is  in  the  Pasha  to  give  a  straight 
answer.  Poor  Pasha  !  long  residence  in  the  Orient 
has  made  him  eminently  a  man  of  compromises." 


CHAPTER  XV. 


START  TO  JOIN  STANLEY. 

I  leave  Tuuguru  for  M'swa — Hot  sulphur  springs  —Arrival  at  M'swa 
— Shukri  Aga's  helpfulness —Arrangements  for  refugees  — 
Woman's  gratitude — Left  in  the  lurch — Consultation  with  Lur 
chiefs — Letter  to  Emin — Choosing  a  bo  ly-guard  — Friendly 
tribes  sacrificed — Final  start  in  canoes — "  Taking  fire  from  a 
stone" — Native  salutations — Magunga  — Magala's  complaint  — 
Meliudwa's  country — Thievish  Lurs — Dignitied  bearing  of  Wa- 
huma —Contrast  between  soldiers  and  Wahuma — I  reach 
Katonza's  village — Enforced  delay — My  looking-glass  creates  a 
sensation — Fatiguing  palaver  with  Katonza— We  ascend  the 
mountains — IVIct  by  Stanley's  couriers — Boisterous  welcome  by 
Zanzibaris — I  rejoin  my  leader — Letters  from  home. 

On  January  28th  I  started  off  in  the  steamer  for 
M'swa,  and  even  at  starting  more  difficulties  were 
put  in  the  way  of  leaving,  by  Saleh  Aga.  Casati  and 
I  made  a  tremendous  stir,  and  by  dint  of  storming 
got  him  to  arrange  things. 

Emin  and  Casati  came  down  to  the  steamer  to  see 
me  off.  He  and  I  stood  talking  long  together  of 
what  was  likely  to  happen  after  I  had  gone,  and  at 
the  last  I  felt  a  kind  of  remorse  for  leaving  him 
alone.  Yet  I  knew  I  was  doing  the  best  thing  I 
could  by  going  to  join  Stanley,  and  concerting 
measures  with  him  how  best  to  save  Emin.  Good- 
bye is  such  a  sad  word  sometimes  to  say,  and  I  felt 
it  doubly  sad  that  day,  when  Emin  clasped  my  hand, 
and  looked  down.    He  stood  watching  the  steamer  as 


1 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 


I 


Hot  Stdphur  Springs. 


411 


she  moved  away, — a  lonely  figure  with  all  his 
treacherous  people  around  him,  he  waved  his  hand 
for  the  last  time  as  the  steamer  rounded  the  point. 

The  steamer  was  crowded  with  men,  women, 
and  children,  and  as  the  lake  was  very  rough, 
everyone  nearly  was  ill.  It  is  not  a  pleasant  position 
to  be  on  a  small  crowded  steamer,  with  everyone 
aboard  sea-sick.  At  about  two  in  the  afternoon  we 
reached  the  hot  springs,  where  there  was  a  large 
supply  of  wood  ready  collected  by  the  natives. 
These  sulphur  springs  were  extremely  hot,  and  at  the 
place  where  the  water  gushed  from  the  rock  it  was 
impossible  to  bear  your  hand  in  it.  There  was  a 
strong  smell  of  sulphur  rising  from  the  water,  and 
the  whole  of  the  sides  of  the  basin  into  which  it  ran 
was  a  bright  yellow  colour  from  the  deposit  of  sulphur. 

Here  we  found  a  large  number  of  Egyptians  and 
Soudanese,  who  had  been  camping  there  for  the 
water,  which  was  supposed  to  be  very  good  for  skin 
diseases.  Many  of  these  were  a  horrible  sight  from 
syphilitic  sores,  which  were  very  frequently  seen  in 
Emin's  province. 

We  took  these  people  on  board,  and  started 
off,  but  did  not  reach  M'swa  till  after  dark,  and  it 
was  nearly  nine  o'clock  before  I  was  able  to  land. 
I  found  Shukri  Aga  waiting  for  me  on  the  shore, 
and  he  conducted  me  up  to  my  hut.  I  had  a  long 
talk  with  him  that  night  about  things  in  the  Pro- 
vince and  of  Stanley's  arrival.  I  asked  him  if  he 
thought  it  would  be  possible  to  persuade  the  captain 
and  sailors  of  the  steamer  to  take  me  down  to  N'sabe, 
in  which  case  I  would  take  all  the  refugees  who 
were  willing  to  go  with  me  and  establish  them  at 


Emm  Pasha. 


Katonza's  village.  He  promised  to  do  his  best,  and 
left  me  to  go  and  see  the  captain  of  the  steamer  that 
very  night. 

Next  morning  Shukri  Aga  came  in  to  see  me,  and 
told  me  he  had  spoken  to  the  captain.  He  had 
given  the  sailors  plenty  of  meat  and  corn,  told  them 
that  I  was  going  down  to  see  Stanley  solely  in  order 
to  help  them,  that  the  lake  at  that  time  was  very 
rough  and  dangerous  for  canoes,  and  further,  that 
it  would  be  risky  for  me  to  pass  Melindwa's  country 
with  so  small  an  escort  as  I  could  take  in  canoes. 
They  agreed  to  go  if  plenty  of  wood  was  put  on 
board,  sufficent  to  carry  them  straight  down  to  X'sabe. 
I  sent  for  the  captain,  and  gave  him  fifteen  dollars, 
which  was  all  I  had,  to  land  me  at  the  south  end  of  the 
lake.  Shukri  Aga  also  agreed  to  accompany  me  in 
order  to  help  me  to  get  native  carriers  when  I  ar- 
rived at  Katonza's  village,  or  as  Stanley  called  him, 
Kyan  Kondo.  I  told  Shukri  Aga  to  bring  all 
those  willing  to  go  with  me  up  before  me,  and 
to  explain  to  them  what  I  wanted.  He  promised  to 
send  sufficient  corn,  etc.,  in  the  steamer  to  enable 
them  to  subsist  until  Stanley  brought  them  up  to  the 
plateau.  There  were  some  fifteen  officers  and  clerks 
who  wished  to  go  with  me,  and  after  I  had  explained 
to  them  what  I  wished,  they  all  agreed  to  obey. 
I  requested  them  to  elect  someone  to  act  as  their 
chief,  and  they  all  chose  Abdul  Wahad  Effendi,  an 
Egyptain  captain.  Shukri  Aga,  I  heard,  had  left 
forty  cattle  with  Katonza,  which  were  to  be  kept 
for  Stanley's  arrival.  He  put  a  large  amount  of 
grain  on  board  the  steamer  so  that  there  would  be 
an  ample  store  of  food  for  the  new  camp. 


A  Woman's  Gratitude. 


413 


All  the  afternoon  I  was  arranging  with  Shukri 
Aga  and  the  clerks,  settling  things  for  the 
camp  at  Katonza's,  and  I  had  the  greater  part  of  the 
people's  goods,  as  well  as  my  own,  put  on  board  the 
steamer  before  night,  so  that  there  should  be  as 
little  delay  as  possible  in  starting  the  next  morning. 
I  ordered  Shukri  Aga  to  place  soldiers  as  sentries 
on  the  steamer  to  see  that  nothing  went  wrong, 
but  this  order  for  some  reason  was  not  carried 
out,  it  afterwards  transpired,  and  trouble  was  the 
result. 

It  was  difficult  to  do  anything  with  these 
people  and  clerks,  they  never  would  believe  one 
knew  best,  and  never  obeyed  orders  implicitly  as 
our  Zanzibaris  did.  The  whole  afternoon  I  was 
worried  by  them,  and  every  insignificant  nobody 
came  to  me  with  some  difFerent  plan  ;  I  had  no 
right  to  order  them,  and  had  to  argue  away  each 
plan  till  I  brought  them  all  round  to  my  way  of 
thinking  :  it  was  very  wearying.  As  to  being  grate- 
ful for  the  trouble  taken  for  them — they  were  not, 
but  took  it  all  as  a  matter  of  course. 

A  was  sitting  out  in  the  evening  after  dinner 
thinking  of  the  helplessness  and  ingratitude  of 
these  people.  I  was  utterly  tired  out  trying  to 
arranore  thinofs  for  them,  and  make  them  understand 
what  was  for  their  own  interest,  when  suddenly  in 
the  darkness  there  was  a  flutter  of  a  white  garment, 
and  before  I  knew  where  I  was  a  negro  woman 
had  prostrated  herself  on  the  ground  before  me 
and  kissed  my  feet.  She  spoke  rapidly  and  excitedly, 
saying  she  had  come  to  thank  me  for  wishing  and 
trying  to  help  the  people,  and,  as  she  heard  I  was- 


414 


Emin  Pasha. 


starting  the  next  morning,  she  had  come  to  thank 
me,  and  prayed  that  Allah  would  bless  me  for 
coming  to  help  them.  She  had  brought  me  a  small 
offering  of  food  for  the  journey.  Before  I  could 
prevent  it  she  had  again  kissed  my  feet  and  dis- 
appeared, leaving  me  in  astonishment  with  two 
clean  straw  trays  on  the  ground  before  me.  I 
called  my  boy  and  asked  who  she  was,  but  he  did  not 


A  woman's  gratitude. 


know,  nobody  had  seen  her.  One  of  the  trays  con- 
tained some  dry  kuskussu  and  six  fresh  eggs,  and 
the  other  a  chicken,  nicely  cooked  and  clean,  but  in 
a  common  wooden  plate,  which  she  had  tried  to 
hide  by  piling  bread  round  it.  Poor  thing  !  I  was 
very  much  touched  at  her  bringing  me  this  little 
offering;  no  doubt  she  was  some  poor  woman,  and 
she  had  given  me  of  her  best,  and  woman-like  she 


Left  in  the  lurch.  415 

thought  of  one's  creature  comforts.  So,  after  all,  the 
people  were  not  as  wholly  ungrateful  as  I  supposed, 
but  it  remained  for  a  woman  to  show  it,  probably 
some  poor  creature  who  was  accustomed  to  be 
beaten  by  her  master,  and  looked  on  as  a  mere  beast 
of  burden  or  an  inferior  animal. 

I  was  up  at  dawn  the  next  morning,  and  went 
out  of  my  hut  to  see  if  the  steamer  was  all  right  and 
had  not  drifted  on  the  sand,  as  there  had  been  a 
heavy  gale  during  the  night.  To  my  despair  I  saw 
her  three  miles  off  steaming  round  the  point  on  her 
way  to  Wadelai,  the  people  had  got  up  steam  during 
the  night,  and  had  slipped  off  at  dawn  !  Let  any 
one  imagine  in  my  place  what  his  feelings  would  be 
after  coming  all  this  way  and  going  through  the 
greatest  trials  to  offer  help,  and,  at  the  last 
minute,  when  help  was  near,  he  should  be  treated  as 
if  he  was  an  intriguing  enemy.  And  yet  Emin  used 
to  be  angry  when  I  was  sceptical  of  the  supposed 
virtues  of  his  people,  and  did  not  look  at  them  with 
his  lenient  eyes.  I  was  too  far  gone  to  do  more  than 
shrug  my  shoulders  and  think  this  was  a  fitting 
climax  to  all  their  actions  for  the  last  six  months. 
Since  I  had  been  in  Emin's  country  I  had  been  told 
we  of  the  Expedition  were  impostors  and  wished 
to  make  the  people  slaves.  I  had  been  told  we 
had  forged  the  letters  we  had  brought  and  that 
we  were  liars.  I  had  had  ninety  loaded  guns 
pointed  at  me,  and  narrowly  escaped  being  massacred 
at  Lahore.  I  had  been  made  a  prisoner  for  several 
months,  and  was  at  that  moment  under  sentence  of 
death  by  hanging,  for  standing  by  the  Pasha,  and 
now,    finally,   I    had    been    tricked    and  aban- 


4i6 


Emin  Pasha. 


cloned  by  a  handful  of  Egyptian  and  Soudanese 
sailors,  and  all  because  I  wished  to  help  them  ! 

I  sent  at  once  for  Shukri  Aga,  and  told  him  what 
had  happened,  and  he  then  admitted  he  had  noc 
carried  out  my  order  to  put  soldiers  as  sentries 
on  the  steamer.  He  said  he  had  not  thought  it 
necessary,  as  he  had  felt  so  certain  that  the  captain 
intended  to  act  honestly.  I  ordered  him  immediately 
to  send  for  Mogo  and  the  Lur  chiefs  of  the  villages 
near  the  station,  and  soon  they  were  before  me.  I 
explained  to  them  my  position,  and  told  them  they 
must  give  me  men  to  take  me  in  canoes  to  Katonza's 
village  at  the  south  end  of  the  lake,  and  that  I  would 
see  that  they  were  well  rewarded  for  their  trouble. 
Mogo  was  sick  and  was  unable  to  go,  but  Masa,  his 
brother,  stood  up  and  said,  "  I  will  gOAviththe  Pasha's 
brother."  N'juju,  an  experienced  canoe  man,  who 
knew  the  lake  well,  said  he  Avould  also  go,  and  eight 
lithe  active  yomig  fellows,  fired  by  their  example, 
promised  to  help  me  and  conduct  me  in  safety  to  "  my 
father  Bula  Matari."  Fortunately  Shukri  Aga  had 
two  good-sized  canoes,  each  capable  of  holding 
thirteen  people  and  a  few  loads,  provided  the  water 
was  smooth.  "We  immediately  went  down  to  the  lake 
to  see  Avhether  it  had  become  calm  enough  to  permit 
of  a  start,  but  it  was  far  too  rough;  no  canoe 
could  have  lived  a  minute  in  such  weather,  and 
I  was  unable  to  embark  that  day.  AVe  found,  on 
arriving  at  the  shore,  that  the  sailors  had  thrown  my 
three  boxes,  which  I  had  had  placed  on  board  over 
night,  out  on  the  sand,  but  they  had  gone  off  with 
all  the  sheep,  goats,  and  corn  I  was  to  have  taken 
down  to  help  Stanley  to  feed  our  people. 


Letter  to  Emin. 


417 


The  steamer  had  an  enormous  supply  of  wood  on 
board,  so  that  there  was  no  occasion  to  stop  for  more 
on  the  way  at  Tunguru  ;  the  captain  had  evidently 
made  up  his  mind  to  go  straight  down  to  Wadelai 
and  warn  the  rebel  officers  that  Stanley  had  arrived, 
and  that  I  was  escaping  from  the  country  against 
their  orders.  There  was  no  time  to  be  lost,  for  my 
passage  in  the  canoes,  particularly  as  the  lake  was 
nearly  always  rough  at  that  time  of  the  3'ear,  and  I 
thought  the  rebels  might  send  the  steamer  after  me 
and  stop  me  before  I  could  reach  Stanley.  I  had, 
moreover,  lost  a  day  by  waiting  for  the  steamer,  and 
had  only  seven  days  in  which  to  reach  Stanley,  as  he 
had  told  Emin  if  he  did  not  hear  from  me  by 
February  6th  he  would  have  to  retire.  I  wrote  at 
once  to  Emin  to  warn  him  of  what  had  happened, 
and  to  beg  him  to  come  to  M'swa,  where  Stanley 
could  reach  him  by  marching  over  the  mountains. 
The  letter  was  as  follows  : — 

"  M'swa,  January  30th,  1889. 
"  My  dear  Pasha, — You  see  I  am  still  here,  but 
start  to-morrow  morning,  I  trust.  The  day  after  my 
arrival,  Shukri  Aga  and  I  spoke  to  the  captain  and 
crew  of  the  steamer,  and  after  giving  them  plenty  of 
meat  and  corn,  asked  them  if  they  would  land  me  at 
N'sabe  ;  I  also  gave  the  captain  fifteen  dollars,  which 
was  all  I  had ;  after  a  while  they  agreed,  and 
promised  to  go  if  plenty  of  wood  was  put  on  board 
the  steamer,  x  had  arranged  to  take  some  officers 
and  a  number  of  clerks  and  employes  with  me,  and 
form  a  camp  at  Katonza's,  as  Stanley  suggested. 
Wood  was  put  on  board,  and  a  great  number  of  loads 


4i8 


Emin  Pasha. 


and  boxes  belonging  to  the  people  ;  I  put  three  of 
mine  also  in  the  steamer,  ready  for  an  early  start 
this  morning.  I  was  up  very  early,  and  was  the  first 
person  to  discover  that  the  steamer  had  departed  ; 
I  saw  her  just  rounding  the  point  in  the  distance. 
They  had  given  us  the  slip  in  the  night,  and 
had  thrown  my  things  out  on  the  sand.  Thus  you  see 
Soudanese  and  Egyptian  guile  is  once  more  too  much 
for  European  honesty,  and  so  it  will  be  so  long  as 
people  are  foolish  enough  to  put  any  trust  in  your  men. 

"  By  this  I  have  lost  a  day,  and  I  have  now  only 
seven  days  till  February  6th,  the  day  when  Stanley 
will  leave  Kavalli's.  Can  you  wonder  at  me  and 
think  me  unjust  when  I  am  sceptical  of  your  people  ? 
My  only  fear  is  that  having  so  much  wood  on  board 
they  will  slip  by  Tunguru  without  calling  there.  If 
such  proves  to  be  the  case,  let  me  implore  of  you, 
Pasha,  let  me  beg  and  entreat  you  to  come  with  your 
people  here.  If  you  have  the  slightest  regard 
for  those  few  faithfuls  with  you,  come  to  this 
station,  and  I  will  do  all  in  my  power  to  induce 
Stanley  to  march  to  a  point  on  the  mountains  near 
here,  where  you  will  be  able  to  communicate  with 
him  ;  there  will  not  be  much  difficulty  or  danger  in  our 
doing  so,  if  you  will  only  come  here  so  that  our 
efforts  to  help  you  may  not  be  stultified.  Help  us 
this  much  to  save  your  people  and  yourself  ;  surely  it 
is  a  little  thing  to  ask,  when  the  Expedition  has  been 
through  such  terrible  trials  to  save  you. 

"  Do  not  wait  and  trust  any  longer  to  the  steamer, 
believe  me,  you  will  be  depending  on  a  broken  reed. 
Shukri  Aga,  who  is  a  capital  fellow  and  has  behaved 
very  well,  is  most  anxious  for  you  to  come  here,  and 


Letter  to  Emin. 


419 


says  his  people  to  a  man  are  ready  to  march  over 
the  mountains  to  KavalH's.  When  y^o,  fled  from 
AYadelai  that  was  our  intention,  so  why  not  follow 
the  same  plan  to-day,  when  we  have  Stanle}  for  a 
certainty  ahead  of  us  ? 

"  You  will  think  perhaps  now  that  I  am  a 
'  Stanleyist,'  so  I  am,  but  believe  me  I  am  also — 
what  Stanley  accuses  me  of  being — an  '  Eminist,' 
and  it  is  for  that  reason  that  I  cannot  bear  to  think 
of  you,  waiting,  waiting,  waiting,  for  ever  waiting,  to 
see  what  will  ha-ppen  to-morrow.  And  after  all, 
what  good  will  you  do  your  people  by  waiting  ?  You 
would  do  them  a  far  greater  service  by  starting  at 
once  for  this  place;  at  any  rate  you  would  be  able  to 
save  some  of  them. 

"  Shukri  Aga  has  just  come  in  from  getting  things 
ready  for  me  to  start,  and  I  have  told  him  what  I  am 
writing,  and  of  my  trying  to  get  Stanley  to  move 
near  here.  He  has  said  it  is  the  best  thing  by  far  to 
be  done,  and  that  if  you  say  the  word,  he  is  ready  to 
bring  carriers,  the  number  of  whom  will  be  able  to 
take  you,  Casati,  Marco,  Vita  Hassan,  and  some  of 
the  others  with  their  families.  If  you  have  no  regard 
for  yourself,  at  least  have  some  regard  for  them,  for 
I  beHeve  this  to  be  the  only  way  you  will  ever  be 
able  to  get  out ;  at  any  rate,  nothing  can  be  gained 
now  by  a  '  masterly  inactivity.'  I  send  you  this 
letter  at  once,  to  warn  you  of  what  has  happened,  and 
though  I  am  writing  it  quietly,  you  must  be  aware  of 
the  suppressed  state  of  indignation  I  am  naturally  in 
at  this  fresh  example  of  faithlessness  and  deceit  on 
the  part  of  your  people  to  me,  whose  only  wish  is  to 
help  them. 

E  e  2 


420 


Emin  Pasha. 


"  Good-bye,  my  dear  old  man,  keep  up  your  cou- 
rage and  try  to  act.  When  one  thinks  of  you  left 
there  with  those  fiends,  one  feels  awfally  sad  and 
regretful. 

"  Yours  ever, 

"  A.  M.  J." 

This  letter  I  sent  off  by  a  specially  swift  courier, 
and  it  reached  Emin  that  same  nisrht. 

I  heard  afterwards  that  on  receiving  it  he  had  still 
decided  to  wait.  "When  I  wrote  it  I  had  not  much 
faith  in  its  power  of  persuading  him  to  move.  He 
had  already  thrown  away  two  chances  of  going  to 
M'swa  and  making  his  way  to  Kavalli's,  and  I  was 
afraid  no  words  would  ever  get  him  to  make  one  step 
towards  us.  He  was  so  fatally  imbued  with  that 
sentiment  which  existed  so  strongly  in  his  Province, 
"  Let  us  wait  till  to-morrow," 

In  going  down  to  the  south  end  of  the  lake,  I  should 
have  to  pass  the  country  of  a  powerful  chief  called 
Melindwa ;  he  was  a  great  friend  of  Kaba-regga,king  of 
Unj'oro,  and  had  ever  been  one  of  Emin's  most  bitter 
enemies.  We  should,  I  knew,  be  obliged  to  camp  two 
nights  in  his  country,  as  it  stretched  for  a  great  dis- 
tance along  the  west  shore  of  the  lake.  I  therefore 
asked  the  M'swa  soldiers  whether  any  of  them  were 
willing  to  come  with  me  in  the  canoes,  as  I  had  only 
three  orderlies  with  Remingtons,  and  my  own  Win- 
chester. Several  of  them  volunteered  to  go,  and  I 
picked  out  seven  of  the  best  men  to  act  as  a  body 
guard  ;  I  should  therefore  have  ten  rifles  with  me. 
I  was  in  an  agony  of  anxiety  all  day  to  start,  but 
though  the  wind  had  dropped,  there  was  such  a  heavy 


Friendly  Chiefs  sacrificed.  42 1 


swell  breaking  on  the  shore  that  it  was  impossible 
for  a  canoe  to  live.  At  my  earnest  request  Masa 
launched  the  biggest  of  the  two  canoes,  but  the 
waves  at  once  toppled  it  over. 

Several  of  the  Lur  chiefs  came  in  to  see  me  during 
the  day  and  asked  me  if  it  was  really  true  that  the 
Mudir  was  going  to  leave  the  country.  I  answered 
that  he  was  going  to  do  so.  They  all  seemed  very 
dejected  at  the  news,  for  after  the  Mudir  had  gone, 
Kaba-regga  and  Melindwa  would  fall  upon  them  and 
punish  them  for  having  been  friendly  to  him.  They 
all  spoke  very  highly  of  Emin,  and  said  that  his  heart 
was  good  towards  them,  and  that,  though  sometimes 
his  soldiers  treated  them  badly,  they  knew  it  was  not 
by  the  Mudir's  wish,  for  he  was  always — if  they  com- 
plained to  him — ready  to  punish  the  soldiers  and  to  see 
that  restitution  was  made  to  them  for  what  had  been 
stolen.  They  said  it  was  a  hard  case  ;  that  the  news 
of  the  Mudir's  intended  retirement  was  a  great  blow, 
and  that  their  hearts  were  dead  within  them.  I 
quite  agreed  with  them,  it  was  a  hard  case,  it  was 
only  the  same  story  over  again  of  what  happened 
when  the  English  retired  from  the  Soudan  ;  che 
friendly  tribes  were  all  sacrificed.  I  had  been  greatly 
struck,  too,  in  reading  Royle's  book  on  Egypt  when 
we  were  prisoners  in  Dufile,  to  find  many  points  in 
this  rebellion  so  like  those  in  the  rebellion  of  Arabi. 
All  the  protestations  of  Fadl  el  Mulla  and  the  people 
that  Emin  was  "  their  father  andmother,"  were  so  like 
what  Arabi  had  said  to  the  Khedive  during  his 
rebellion,  and  there  were  a  hundred  other  small  points 
which  struck  one  as  being  similar. 

Mogo  and  Chief  Ouma  came  in  to  see  me  in  the 


422 


Emm  Pasha. 


evening  ;  I  found  them  both  very  amusing,  and  both 
equally  expressed  their  wonder  at  the  eccentricities  of 
the  white  men.  Ouma  was  just  the  same  rollicking 
fellow  as  ever,  and  had  become  strong  friends  with 
Shukri  Aga,  who  was  one  of  the  few  of  Emin's 
people  who  got  on  well  with  the  natives  and  was 
really  liked  by  them. 

I  had  the  Lur  natives,  and  the  seven  soldiers  who 
were  to  accompany  me,  sleeping  in  a  hut  near  mine 
in  order  that  I  could  call  them  at  once  to  start  if  the 
lake  became  smooth  enough  to  launch  the  canoes.  I 
was  up  half  a  dozen  times  in  the  night  to  look  at  the 
weather,  but  the  breakers  were  thundering  in  on  the 
beach  all  night,  though  there  Avas  absolutely  no  wind. 
The  lake  took  a  long  time  to  calm  down  after  the 
strong  winds  which  had  been  prevailing  for  so  many 
days. 

At  eight  o'clock  on  January  31st  the  lake  had 
calmed  down  sufficiently  to  enable  the  canoes  to  be 
launched.  There  was  a  tremendous  gathering  to 
see  me  off,  and  every  one  turned  out  to  wish  me 
Grod  speed  ;  nearly  all  implored  me  not  to  desert 
them,  but  to  try  to  bring  Stanley  to  help  them.  ]\Iy 
party  consisted  of  myself,  and  my  boy  Binza,  my 
three  Soudanese  orderlies,  seven  of  Shukri  Aga's 
soldiers,  and  fourteen  Lur  natives  for  paddling, 
with  Masa,  Mogo's  brother,  as  chief,  and  X'juju  as 
steersman. 

The  lake  was  rough  ;  we  got  very  wet  at  start- 
ing, and  I  had  to  keep  my  boy  and  orderlies  con- 
tinually baling.  I  was  obliged  to  send  the  seven 
soldiers  along  the  beach,  in  order  to  lighten  the 
canoes,  stopping  now  and  then  to  give  them  a  lift 


ESCil'K    FKO.M    TLNGUKU    Tii    JDIS  STANLEY. 


Pane  4*2 


I 


I 

( 
I 

I 

i 


Taking  Fire  from  a  Stone.  423 

round  the  places  where  the  lake  came  right  up  to  the 
cliffs.    After  two  or  three  hours  the  lake  went  down 
sufficiently  to  admit  of  our  landing,  and  I  had 
luncheon  of  hard  boiled  eggs  in  a  shady  thicket  on 
the  lake  shore,  and  waited  for  the  soldiers  to  come  ] 
up.    At  about  11.30  we  started  off  again,  but  had 
to  land  and  send  the  canoe  back  to  the  place  where 
I  had  lunched  for  four  of  the  soldiers  whom  I  had  * 
been  unable  to  take  in  the  canoes,  as  the  lake  was  | 
still  running  rather  high. 

I  waited  for  them  under  a  tree  in  the 
middle  of  a  village,  the  chief  of  which  was  a  very 
nice  fellow  called  Vunja  ;  the  people  all  came  and 
sat  round  me  in  a  circle,  and  we  had  a  long  talk. 
While  I  was  talking,  I  took  out  my  pipe,  and  strik- 
ing a  match  on  a  stone,  lit  it.  I  shall  never  forget 
the  impression  it  made  on  the  natives.  They 
gravely  watched  me  as  I  took  a  match  from  my 
match-box  and  struck  it  against  a  stone,  and  when 
there  was  a  sputter,  and  they  saw  fire,  their  jaws 
dropped,  and  they  gazed  at  me  perfectly  dumb- 
founded. But  when  they  saw  me  light  my  pipe  , 
with  it  they  all  went  off  into  roars  of  laughter,  and 
slapped  each  other  on  the  back.  They  exclaimed, 
"  Oh,  but  these  white  men  are  bad  people  ;  look  at 
the  Inkama,  he  has  taken  fire  out  of  that  stone  !  " 
They  took  up  the  stone,  and  examined  it  gingerly  to 
see  if  there  was  an}i:hing  unusual  in  it,  and  it  was 
passed  round  the  circle  for  each  to  look  at.  They 
were  not  contented  till  I  had  let  several  matches  off 
for  their  edification,  the  sputter  of  each  match  being 
the  signal  for  fresh  roars  of  laughter,  and  slappings 
on  each  other's  backs,  and  even  the  women  came  to  see 


424 


Eniin  Pasha. 


the  performance.  However,  matches  were  precious 
in  Central  Africa,  so  I  refused  to  light  any  more, 
but  made  Vunja  happy  by  a  present  of  two  wax 
matches,  which  he  proceeded  to  wrap  up  in  several 
small  pieces  of  bark  cloth  and  lash  tightly  to  his  body. 

So  much  were  they  impressed  by  my  cleverness 
in  being  able  to  take  fire  from  a  stone,  that  these 
friendly,  hospitable  negroes  killed  a  cow,  and  loaded 
the  canoes  with  meat  for  my  men. 

I  always  liked  sitting  down  and  talking  to  these 
natives,  and  their  boisterous,  hospitable,  and  joyous 
natures  had  a  great  charm  for  me. 

The  peculiar  way  in  which  the  natives  greeted 
each  other  in  this  part  of  the  world  amused  me 
greatly.  When  two  natives  met  they  each  put 
their  two  hands  on  the  other's  shoulders,  and  each 
began  to  spit  alternately  on  his  friend's  right  and 
left  shoulders.  Masa  seemed  to  know  every  one,  and 
if  it  was  a  particular  friend  of  his  he  spat  with  a  will, 
and  made  streams  run  down  his  friend's  shoulders. 
The  depth  of  his  friendship  for  any  one  he  met  might 
be  gauged  by  the  size  and  volume  of  the  streams.  To 
those  for  whom  he  did  not  greatly  care  he  merely 
slightly  bedewed  each  shoulder.  "Whenever  I  saw  two 
really  big  streams  coming  down  some  of  his  friend's 
bodies,  I  asked  him, "Masa,  is  that  man  a  great  friend 
of  yours  ?  "  and  he  answered,  "  Yes,  master,  he  is  just 
like  my  brother ;  I  have  known  him  since  I  was  so 
high,"  indicating  a  height  about  two  feet  from  the 
ground.  The  different  shades  in  the  cordiality  of  his 
greeting  being  thus  so  clearly  marked,  I  could  always 
tell  which  were  his  friends,  and  which  people  he  did 
not  care  much  about. 


Magala's  Village. 


425 


At  three  o'clock  we  reached  Magunga,  the  chief  of 
which,  Magala,  was  an  old  friend  of  mine.  I  had  slept 
twice  in  his  village,  once  on  my  way  up  to  M'swa  for 
the  first  time  in  the  boat,  and  again  when  I  was 
with  Emin  in  the  steamer.  The  lake  shore  is 
beautiful  here,  quite  Swiss  in  its  scenery.  We  found 
on  arriving  that  for  some  reason  or  other  the 
natives  had  cleared  out,  so  we  had  the  place  all  to 
ourselves.  Magunga  was  a  small  village,  with  some 
nine  or  ten  huts,  it  was  only  Magala's  fishing  village, 
his  main  village  being  situated  behind  the  mountains 
on  the  plateau,  1700  ft.  above  the  lake.  It  was  built 
on  a  flat  delta,  five  acres  in  extent,  formed  by  a  fine 
larofe  stream  which  came  down  from  the  mountain 
above  in  a  huge  cascade.  The  village  itself  was  quite 
hidden  from  the  lake  by  a  magnificent  grove  of 
bananas,  some  of  the  finest  I  have  ever  seen.  To  my 
mind  there  is  no  shade  so  pleasant  as  that  afforded  by 
a  thick  grove  of  bananas,  it  is  so  cool  and  refreshing. 
For  while  there  is  a  thick  yet  chequered  shade,  the 
air  and  breeze  circulates  freely  among  the  banana 
stems,  and  there  is  no  feeling  of  closeness  or  suffo- 
cation. Close  to  the  lake  shore,  which  was  here  a 
mass  of  tumbled  rocks,  was  a  narrow  fringe  of  grace- 
ful mimosa  bushes.  At  that  time  of  the  year  they 
were  covered  with  clusters  of  yellow  flowers,  which 
smelt  like  jasmine,  and  made  the  air  heavy  with 
their  perfume.  The  mountains  behind  sloped  down 
abruptly  to  the  little  flat  below,  and  were  covered 
with  fine  trees.  Here  and  there,  on  the  mountain 
sides  among  the  trees,  were  small  natural  ledges, 
and  on  each  of  these  might  be  seen  a  native 
hut,  with  its  patch  of  pink-flowered  tobacco  ;  they 


426 


Emin  Pasha. 


looked  like  little  Hanging  gardens  high  up  on  the 
mountains.  It  was  a  beautiful  spot  to  stay  in, 
and  seemed  so  peaceful  and  retired  with  its  sheltering 
screen  of  banana  trees  and  mimosa. 

As  it  was  still  early,  I  went  and  had  a  swim  in  a 
great  deep  pool  at  the  foot  of  the  cascade.    It  was  I 
one  of  the  most  enjoyable  baths  I  have  ever  had  ;  it 
was  delightfully  refreshing  to  feel  the  cool  water 
swirling  round  one's  body.    I  went  to  bed  early, 
having  put  everything  ready  for  an  early  start  the  I 
next  day.    Owing  to  Vunja's  present,  there  was 
plenty  of  meat  and  food  in  camp,  and  the  soldiers 
and    Lurs   sat   eating  and  lauoriiino-   and  talking- 
to  a  late  hour.    I  was  so  accustomed   to  camp 
sounds  by  this  time,  that  none  of   the  ordinary 
noises  in  camp  ever  disturbed  me,  and  I  liked  to  hear 
the  people  laughing  and  talking  all  round  me.  The 
wind  rose  pretty  strongly  during  the  night,  but 
dropped  again  towards  morning,  but  on  getting  up  at  I 
dawn  I  found  the  lake  still  running  very  hig'h.  These 
unavoidable  delays  were  most  annoying,  but  one  ^ 
could  not  expect  at  that  time  of  the  year  to  get  j 
along  without  a  good  deal  of  wind.    Curbing  my 
impatience  as  well  as  I  could,  I  sat  down  and  had 
an  excellent  breakfast  of  roasted  plantains  and  hard-  i 
boiled  eggs. 

At  about  ten  in  the  morning  Magala  came  down 
to  see  me.  He  had  heard  from  his  people,  who  I  I 
suppose  had  seen  me  from  the  mountains,  that  I  had 
arrived,  and  now  brought  me  presents  of  ripe  bananas 
and  flour.  He  had  a  long  complaint  to  make  against 
one  of  the  M'swa  soldiers,  who  it  appears  had  enticed 
away  two  of  his  favourite  wives,  and  asked  me  to  help 


Chief  Maboko. 


427 


him  to  get  them  back.  I  told  him  I  would  write  to 
the  Pasha  about  it,  and  I  had  no  doubt  that  the  Mudir 
would  see  that  they  were  returned  to  him.  He  said, 
that  as  there  was  not  good  fishing  just  then,  his  men 
had  left  the  village  to  look  after  the  harvesting  of 
their  crops  on  the  plateau  above.  Though  there  was 
no  wind  we  were  not  able  to  get  the  canoes  launched 
till  three  in  the  afternoon,  but  I  was  determined  to  go 
on  as  long  as  I  could  during  the  night.  I  was  struck 
afresh  by  the  great  beauty  of  the  shores  of  the  lake 
at  this  part.  The  mountains,  over  two  thousand  feet 
high,  were  jagged  and  precipitous,  but  their  outlines 
were  softened,  and  shaded  by  a  mantle  of  delicate 
green  grass,  and  graceful  trees.  The  gliding  motion 
of  a  canoe,  so  silent  and  smooth,  is  much  pleasanter 
than  that  of  a  boat,  there  is  no  jerking  or  sound  of 
oars.  The  sun  was  just  setting  over  the  mountains, 
and  ever}i;hing  was  quiet  and  peaceful,  the  complete 
stillness  being  only  broken  by  the  gentle  rhythmical 
plash  of  the  paddles,  to  which  the  Lurs  kept  time  in 
a  low,  crooning,  and  not  un tuneful  song.  One  wished 
it  could  have  lasted  for  hours  ;  but  alas  !  tropical 
evenings  are  short,  and  night  soon  closed  in. 

At  8.30  we  reached  Maboko's  village ;  it  was 
situated  on  the  border  of  Melindwa's  country,  from 
which  it  was  separated  by  a  fine  mountain  stream. 
It  was  considered  advisable  by  the  Lurs  to  stop  here, 
and  to  try,  by  starting  early  the  next  day,  to  get  past 
Melindwa's,  if  possible,  in  one  day. 

The  chief  was  an  old  friend  of  Masa's,  with  whom 
he  went  through  the  usual  moist  salutations.  He 
received  me  with  great  hospitality  and  kindness,  and 
brought  me  a  quantity  of  bananas  and  eggs.  It 


428 


Emin  Pasha. 


was  pitch  dark,  and  the  wind  came  down  from  the 
mountains  in  gusts  which  made  me  shiver,  but  great 
camp  fires  were  lighted  by  my  people,  around  which 
they  and  the  natives  seated  themselves,  and  large 
piles  of  meat  were  soon  smoking  on  the  red  hot  em- 
bers. The  chief  came,  and  talked  to  me  after  I  had 
had  m}^  dinner  ;  he  spoke  about  his  friendship  for 
Emin,  and  showed  me  two  large  copper  bracelets,  which 
he  told  me  were  a  present  from  him.  He  also  expressed 
his  sorrow  that  Emin  was  going  to  retire  from  the 
country.  It  would  be  dangerous,  he  said,  for  me  to 
sleep  in  Melindwa's  country,  as  he  was  very  bitter 
against  Emin,  and  he  warned  me  to  keep  a  good 
look  out,  if  I  found  I  was  obliged  to  do  so.  Melin- 
dwa's people,  he  told  me,  were  a  treacherous  lot,  and 
had  lately  cut  off  a  small  party  of  his  men  who 
were  camping  for  the  night  at  the  foot  of  the  moun- 
tains. 

It  was  late  before  I  retired  for  the  night  to  a  hut 
which  the  chief  lent  me.  I  got  little  sleep  however, 
for  the  hut  was  swarming  with  rats.  Owing  to  the 
Avind  which  always  seemed  to  rise  in  the  night,  I  was 
unable  to  get  off  till  nine  o'clock  the  next  morning. 
One  of  the  canoes  was  upset  by  the  waves  in  getting 
off,  but  fortunately  for  me  it  was  the  one  which 
carried  the  soldiers.  Their  guns  went  to  the  bottom, 
but,  by  good  luck,  the  water  was  shallow,  and  they 
were  able  to  recover  them  all.  The  lake  shore  was 
still  a  continuation  of  the  M'swa  Mountain  range, 
and  though  fine,  was  less  interesting  than  the 
part  we  had  passed  the  day  before.  The  moun- 
tains were  nearly  as  high,  but  not  so  abrupt,  and 
there  was  a  gradually  broadening  plain  between 


In  Melindwa! s  Country. 


them  and  the  lake.  We  stopped  at  mid-day  for  a  rest 
at  a  small  villaofe  on  one  of  the' flat  deltas  formed  bv 
the  streams  from  the  mountains.  I  sat  and  had  my 
luncheon  under  the  shade  of  a  large  tree  near  the 
shore,  Ti\-liere  a  clear  impetuous  stream  rushed  into  the 
lake.  As  I  was  smoking  my  pipe  after  lunch,  a  body 
of  natives  approached  through  the  bushes,  with  un- 
friendly gestures,  and  fired  two  arrows  at  some  of  my 
Lurs,  who  were  bathing  in  the  stream. 

I  had  my  Winchester  at  hand,  and  at  once  fired  a 
couple  of  shots  over  their  heads.  The  echo  and  re- 
verberation among  the  mountain  gorges  was  some- 
thing startling,  and  the  natives  took  to  their  heels, 
and  climbed  up  the  mountain  side,  followed  by  the 
jeers  and  shouts  of  my  Lurs.  It  was  amusing  to 
watch  their  delight,  for  they  were  not  particularly 
brave  themselves.  They  entered  the  huts,  which 
by  my  orders  thev  had  abstained  from  doing  before, 
and  brought  out  numbers  of  baskets  of  imperfectly 
cured  fish,  with  which  they  proceeded  to  load  one  of  the 
canoes.  We  paddled  along,  passing  many  prettily 
situated  villages,  until  it  was  nearly  dark.  Finding 
we  could  not  reach  the  limit  of  Melindwa's  country 
that  night,  I  camped  in  a  large  settlement,  the  people 
of  which  ran  away  to  the  mountains  on  our  approach. 
There  were  quantities  of  bananas,  and  my  men, 
as  usual,  thieved  right  and  left,  chickens,  fishing  lines, 
or  dried  fish — these  Lurs  were  incorrigible  thieves,  and 
it  was  impossible  to  stop  them.  They  belonged  to 
the  same  tribe  as  Melindwa's  people,  but  because 
they  were  unfriendly  with  them,  and  the  natives 
cleared  out  before  them,  they  considered  themselves 
justified  in  appropriating  whatever  took  their  fancy. 


430 


Emin  Pasha. 


I  had  three  sentries  put  round  the  camp,  which  I 
made  as  small  and  compact  as  possible,  throwing  up 
a  light  boma  made  of  the  wicker  doors  of  the  huts. 
This  was  sufficient  to  turn  arrows,  and  I  had  the 
canoes  ready  to  be  launched,  should  the  natives  come 
upon  us  in  any  numbers  during  the  night. 

I  hardly  slept,  and  continually  got  up  to  see 
that  the  sentries  were  awake  and  at  their  posts. 
A  strong  wind  blew  steadily  all  night,  and  it  was 
bitterly  cold,  but  fortunately  the  wind  was  off  the 
shore,  and  the  lake  in  the  morning  was  as  calm  as 
a  mill  pond.  I  found  it  somewhat  difficult  to  get 
Emin's  soldiers  and  the  Lurs  off  next  morningr, 
for  the  evening  before  I  had  given  them  a  fat 
sheep  and  a  large  goat,  with  which  Shukri  Aga 
had  presented  me  as  a  provision  for  the  road,  and 
they  were  busy  eating  before  starting. 

At  nine  o'clock  we  reached  Kanama,  the  larsre 
village  at  which  I  had  stopped  the  first  night  on 
my  way  to  M'swa  in  the  boat.  Vaju's  son,  and  all 
the  people  of  the  village,  came  down  to  a  point  on 
the  shore,  and  asked  me  to  land  and  have  a  talk 
with  them.  I  sat  and  talked  with  them  for  half 
an  hour,  and  they  told  me  Stanl&y  was  still  at 
Kavalli's,  and  had  never  left  it  since  his  arrival 
nearly  three  weeks  before.  Native  reports  are  so 
unreliable  that  I  did  not  place  much  faith  in  this 
news. 

The  people  were  all  full  of  tales  about  Stanley's 
having  fought  and  beaten  the  Wa-regga,  who  were 
Kavalli's  enemies.  These  people  told  me  the  AVa- 
regga  had  long  been  the  scourge  of  the  country, 
and  everyone  was  glad  to  hear  of  their  defeat. 


The  Wa-huma. 


43i 


In  the  afternoon  we  passed  Stanley's  and  Emin*s 
former  camp  at  N'sabe,  the  huts  were  still  all 
standing,  though  they  were  in  a  somewhat  ruined 
state,  but  the  grass  had  grown  over  every- 
thing, and  the  place  looked  most  dreary  and  woe- 
begone. At  five  o'clock  we  reached  Nyamsassib 
Island,  which  was  inhabited  by  some  of  Nampigua's 
people,  their  sole  occupation  being  making  salt  from 
the  earth.  This  salt  supplied  Nampigua's  people 
on  the  plateau,  and  was  also  sold  to  the  surrounding 
tribes.  I  never  saw  a  finer-looking  lot  of  men  ;  each 
man  had  the  bearing  of  a  Sultan.  They  were  tall, 
beautifully  made,  and  strong.  Each  man  was 
dressed  in  a  long,  finely  cured  skin,  with  a  narrow 
border  of  white  hair,  left  round  the  edge  as  an 
ornament.  This  skin  was  worn  depending  from 
one  shoulder,  and  was  fastened  by  a  bright  iron 
ornament  ;  it  completely  covered  the  figure,  and 
reached  to  below  the  knees.  They  were  armed 
with  large  strong  spears,  bows,  and  unpoisoned 
arrows.  They  were  beautifully  clean,  and  extremely 
nice-looking,  and  their  features  fine ;  they  were 
evidently  "\Ya-huma.  As  we  were  now  near 
Katonza's  village,  I  camped  on  the  island,  and 
the  chief  promised  to  give  me  men  the  next 
morning  to  carry  my  loads  to  Katonza's  village, 
svhich  was  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  inland 
from  the  lake.  I  felt  almost  ashamed  at  asking 
such  splendid-looking  men  to  take  the  loads 
out  of  the  canoes,  but  my  Soudanese  had  no  such 
compunction,  and  hurried  the  natives  about  with 
little  ceremony.  These  Wa-huma  took  the  loads  with 
a  dignity  of   mien  which  was  most  unusual,  and 


432 


Emin  Pasha. 


I 


smiled  at  each  other  as  if  unaccustomed  to  such 
work.  I  had  never  before  been  so  much  struck  by 
any  negroes.  There  were  not  more  than  thirty  men 
with  their  wives  and  children  on  the  island  ;  the 
women  had  nice  gentle  faces,  with  a  particularly 
kind,  modest  expression. 

The  treatment   of    these  people  by  my  soldiers 
made  me  very  angry.    They  ordered  them  about, 
and  jostled  them  in  their  usual  arrogant  way,  which 
was  most  exasperating.    Their  treatment  of  ordinary 
natives  and  their  domineering  ways  towards  them 
always  annoyed  me,  but   with  these   people  such 
bearing  seemed  a  positive  insult.    There  certainly 
was  a  great  difference  between  these  natives  and 
the  soldiers  ;  but  to  the  advantage  of  the  natives.  Aa 
far  as  I  could  see,  the  difference  between  them  was 
this.    The  soldiers  carried  a  gun  which  they  did  not 
know  how  to  use,  they  were  dressed  in  ragged  clothes, 
were  dirty,   and  were  slaves  ;  the  natives,  on  the 
other  hand,  carried  spears  and  bows  which  they 
knew  how  to  use  right  well,  they  were  fine-looking 
and  clean,  were  gracefully  dressed  in  beautifully  cured 
skins,  and  were  free.    The  reason  the  soldiers  con- 
sidered themselves  so  vastly  superior  to  the  natives 
was    solely    because    they     carried    guns.  The 
natives  had  killed  a  hippopotamus,  and  they  were 
drying  the  flesh  in  strips,  and  the  whole  place  was 
surrounded  by  strings  of  meat  hanging  up.    I  slept 
in  a  small,  clean  hut,  given  me  by  the  chief,  it  was 
made  of  strong  scented  grass  which  had  a  pleasant 
smell. 

I  got  so  angry  the  next  morning  at  the  way  the 
soldiers  dawdled  that  I  took  a  stick  and  drove  them 


We  reach  Katonza^s  V illage. 


433 


into  the  canoe  ;  there  was  always  a  difficulty  in 
getting  them  off  in  good  time  in  the  morning.  Some 
of  the  "\Ya-huma  came  with  us  to  carry  the  loads. 
We  had  to  paddle  about  three  miles  down 
the  lake,  which  was  very  shallow  here,  and  full  of 
banks  of  mud  and  sand.  On  these  banks  crowds  of 
crocodiles  were  lying,  and  there  were  great  numbers 
of  snipe,  plover,  geese,  and  ducks,  I  longed  to  have 
a  shot  gun  with  me.  At  8.30  we  landed,  and  the 
natives  went  to  a  small  village  near  to  get  more 
people  to  carry  my  things,  for  owing  to  my  soldiers' 
rough  treatment  of  the  people  on  Nyamsassie 
island,  only  five  AVa-huma  had  turned  up.  The 
people  soon  returned  saying  the  village  was 
deserted,  but  they  had  seen  one  native  who  had 
told  them  that  all  the  people  in  the  villages  round 
had  fled  to  the  mountains  for  fear  of  Kaba-regga's 
scouts,  who  were  making  raids  in  the  neighbourhood. 

Taking  six  soldiers  and  some  Lurs  with  me,  and 
leaving  the  rest  of  the  people  to  guard  the  canoe  and 
loads,  I  started  off  for  Katonza's  village.  We  passed 
through  the  place  where  Stanley  was  camped,  when 
he  first  met  Emin.  When  we  reached  Katonza's 
village  we  found  it  deserted,  except  by  two  natives, 
who  told  me  that  Katonza,  with  his  goats,  cattle,  etc., 
had  retired  to  the  mountains,  taking  the  greater  part 
of  his  people  with  him.  He  had  left  his  village 
under  the  care  of  his  brother  I^'guaba,  and  a  few 
people,  all  of  whom  were  dispersed  among  the  clumps 
of  forest  in  the  vicinity.  I  at  once  dispatched  one  of 
the  natives  to  tell  X'guaba,  I  was  in  his  village,  and 
to  bring  some  carriers  in  as  quickly  as  possible.  In 
about  half  an  hour  he  came  in,  and  his  men  also' 

F  f 


434 


Emin  Pasha. 


dropped  in  by  twos  and  threes,  bringing  some  of  their 
women  and  household  goods  with  them,  until  per- 
haps there  were  some  twenty  men  and  ten  women 
assembled  in  the  villasfe. 

Whilst  waiting  for  the  people  to  come  in,  N'guaba 
told  me  that  the  Wa-ganda  were  invading  Unyoro  ; 
a  very  common  occurrence,  and  that  Kaba-regga  had 
sent  his  Avomen,  flocks,  and  treasure  to  a  place  at  the 
south  end  of  the  lake.  There  was  a  guard  of  War- 
rasura,  left  to  look  after  them,  whilst  his  General 
Babadongo  went  to  fight  the  Wa-ganda,  Kaba-regga 
himself  always  retiring  on  such  occasions.  It  was 
this  guard  of  whom  the  natives  were  afraid,  for 
fearing  the  natives  might  attack  them,  the  Warrasura 
had  determined  to  act  on  the  defensive,  and  had 
made  several  raids.  After  sitting-  talking:  for  some 
time,  N'guaba  and  his  men  started  oif  for  the  lake 
and  brought  my  loads  and  people  back  with  them,  and 
established  me  in  a  hut. 

In  the  evening  I  sent  for  N'guaba,  and  had  a  long 
talk  with  him.  I  told  him  I  wished  to  start  for 
Kavalli's  village  to  join  Stanley,  and  asked  him  to 
give  me  fifteen  or  even  ten  men  to  carry  my  loads. 
He  said  he  had  so  few  people  that  he  could  not  give 
me  any  men,  but  that  on  my  arrival  that  morning,  he 
had  sent  a  messenger  to  Katonza,  saying  I  was  here, 
and  had  told  him  to  come  at  once,  and  bring  people 
with  him.  He  would  without  doubt  arrive  the  next 
day,  when  he  would  be  able  to  give  me  plenty  of  men 
for  the  start  the  day  after.  He  therefore  asked  me 
to  remain  where  I  was,  and  await  Katonza's  arrival. 
I  tried  every  argument  I  could  think  of  to  get  him 
to  give  me  men,  and  even  thought  of  leaving  some  of 


My  Looking-glass  creates  a  Sensation.  435 

my  loads  in  his  charge,  while  I  went  on  with  my  own 
men,  and  sent  down  some  of  Kavalli's  people  to 
bring  the  rest  up  to  the  plateau.  However,  as  Kaba- 
regga's  scouts  were  in  the  neighbourhood,  I  was 
loath  to  leave  any  of  my  loads  where  they  might  be 
captured,  so  I  reluctantly  consented  to  await  Katon- 
za's  coming  the  next  day.  If  by  that  time  he  did 
not  arrive,  I  told  N'guaba  I  should  be  obliged  to 
start  and  get  on  as  best  I  could. 

N'guaba  seemed  a  very  good  fellow  ;  ready, 
and  even  anxious  to  help  me  ;  his  plea  that  having 
so  few  people  with  him — he  was,  owing  to  the  disturbed 
state  of  the  country — afraid  to  send  any  away,  was,  I 
think,  a  just  one.  It  was  very  annopng,  but  it  could 
not  be  helped,  people  need  a  great  store  of  patience 
in  Africa.  T  had  already  been  eight  days  on  the 
road,  and  nine  from  the  day  I  had  got  Stanley's 
letter,  and  it  was  possible  I  should  yet  be 
three  days,  by  which  calculation  I  did  not  think  I 
could  arrive  till  Feb.  7th,  and  Stanley  had  positively 
said,  that  one  of  us,  the  Pasha  or  I,  must  be  there  by 
the  6th,  or  he  would  be  obliged  to  retire.  My 
impatience  therefore  at  the  delay  may  be  imagined. 

In  the  evening  several  w^omen  came  in  to  see  me, 
and  I  showed  them  my  looking-glass  with  which 
they  were  greatly  delighted.  At  first  they  were 
frightened  at  the  clear  reflection  of  their  own  faces, 
but  after  a  while  they  got  used  to  it,  and  it  was 
handed  round  from  one  to  the  other.  They  all 
pushed  their  heads  together  to  get  a  sight  of  their 
faces,  and  smirked  and  bridled  in  front  of  it,  turning 
and  twisting  their  faces  round  to  get  a  view  of  them 
in  every  position.    I  noticed  that  it  was  the  oldest 

F  f  2 


43^ 


Emin  Pasha. 


and  ugliest  that  kept  the  glass  longest ;  I  could  hardly 
get  it  away  from  an  old  woman  who  sat  admiring  her 
wrinkles  with  a  pleased  smile  on  her  face.  Soon  I 
had  the  whole  village,  including  the  chief,  round  my 
hut  to  look  at  themselves  in  the  glass;  the  men  were 
just  as  pleased  with  it  as  the  women. 

There  was  nothing  to  do  the  next  morning  but  to 
wait  the  coming  of  Katonza.  X'guaba  and  his 
people  came  in  in  the  morning  to  squeeze  my  hand — 
the  natives  never  shake  the  hand — and  to  look  at  me 
as  soon  as  I  was  up.  Most  natives  are  fond  of  sitting 
smoking  in  perfect  silence,  gazing  at  the  white  man. 
In  the  afternoon  Katonza  came  in,  brinofinof  a  cow 
with  him  as  a  present  for  my  people.  He  brought  a 
good  many  of  his  men  Avith  him. 

He  was  somewhat  difficult  to  deal  with  at  first, 
for  he  had  a  long  list  of  complaints  to  make  against 
Kavalli,  and  seemed  very  jealous  that  Stanley  should 
have  settled  in  his  village.  He  was  most  anxious  for 
Stanley  to  come  down  to  stay  in  his  village  to  defend 
him  against  the  raids  of  Kaba-regga's  people.  He 
wanted  me  to  leave  my  loads  in  his  charge  so  that 
they  would  be  ready  when  Stanley  came  down  to 
camp  on  the  plain. 

1  was  afraid  of  offending  him  by  telling  him  that 
Stanley  had  no  intention  of  doing  this,  in  which  case 
he  would  probably  have  refused  to  help  me,  so  I  told 
him  I  would  lay  his  story  before  Stanley-,  and  he 
would  decide  what  to  do.  I  impressed  it  upon  him 
that  it  was  of  the  greatest  importance  that  I  should 
reach  Kavalli' s  the  next  day,  and  if  he  wished  to 
please  Stanley  he  must  give  me  carriers  to  take  my 
loads,  in  order  to  show  Stanley  he  was  really  anxious 


I 

Palaver  with  Katonza.  437 

for  his  friendship.  Upon  this  he  promised  to  give 
me  carriers  the  next  morning.  He  was  greatly- 
pleased  to  hear  that  perhaps  Emin  and  some  of  his 
people  would  come  in  the  steamers  and  establish 
themselves  near  his  village,  and  he  said  he  would 
treat  them  well  and  give  them  plenty  of  food.  He 
had  numbers  of  stories  to  tell  me  of  the  diiferent 
chiefs,  and  about  Kaba-regga's  doings.  This  shauri, 
or  palaver,  took  me  more  than  four  hours  and  a  half 
to  arrange.  I  had  to  say  Avhat  I  wanted  to  my  boy 
Binza  in  Ki-Swahili,  who  spoke  to  a  soldier  in  Arabic, 
he  in  his  turn  interpreted  it  in  the  Lur  language  to 
Masa,  who  finally  handed  over  my  meaning  to  . 
Katonza  in  the  Kinyoro  language.  There  was 
almost  time  to  smoke  a  pipe  betAveen  the  time  when  I 
put  my  question  until  I  got  it  answered.  However, 
in  spite  of  it  Katonza  and  I  made  ourselves  quite 
understood.  I  presented  him  and  his  brother 
X'guaba  each  with  a  large  piece  of  white  cotton  cloth, 
which  was  all  I  could  give  them  as  a  present,  but  they 
seemed  more  than  satisfied  with  it. 

In  the  evening  I  had  another  crowd  of  natives 
round  my  hut  to  see  my  glass  lantern,  which  was 
hanging  up  inside,  lighted  with  one  of  Emin's 
wax  candles.  They  all  expressed  much  astonishment 
at  it,  and  were  evidently  so  inquisitive  to  know  what 
it  was  made  of,  that  I  told  them  to  go  in  and 
examine  it.  They  went  in  in  a  body  and  tapped  the 
glass,  after  which  they  shook  their  heads  and  said 
that  the  white  men  were  wonderful  people. 

I  was  up  early  on  February  6th  to  get  oiT  in  good 
time,  so  that  we  should  have  finished  the  ascent  of 
the  mountains  before  the  sun  got  very  hot.    I  knew 


438 


Eniin  Pasha. 


the  path  up  the  mountains  of  old  ;  it  was  steep  and 
rocky  and  full  of  small  sharp  quartzy  stones,  which 
caused  one  to  slip  often  in  the  steeper  parts.  Over 
two  thousand  feet  of  this  sort  of  climbing  had  to  be 
done  before  the  high  table-lands  above  could  be 
reached ;  at  about  two  and  a  half  hours  marching 
from  the  edge  of  the  plateau  was  Kavalli's  village. 
I  wished,  therefore,  to  get  over  the  worst  part  of  the 
climb  before  midday.  But  he  who  trusts  to  prompt 
action  from  negroes  is  generally  doomed  to  dis- 
appointment, and  requires  an  inexhaustible  stock  of 
patience.  Katonza,  in  spite  of  his  emphatic  promises 
that  everything  should  be  ready  early,  came  and  told 
me  that  his  people  had  not  yet  come  in  in  sufficient 
numbers  to  admit  of  his  sending  carriers  with  me. 
I  talked  with  him  for  a  long  time  with  a  sort  of 
impatient  patience,  and  explained  to  him  that  it 
was  absolutely  necessary  for  me  to  reach  Kavalli's 
that  day.  I  told  him  that  if  he  did  not  help  me, 
Stanley  was  not  very  likely  to  arrange  things  for  him 
with  Kavalli,  and  so,  after  much  talk,  and  many 
arguments,  he  gave  me  eight  men.  I  gave  some  of 
my  loads  to  the  Lurs,  who  were  splendid  fellows, 
and  who,  for  the  time  they  had  been  with  me, 
had  been  devoted  to  me,  and  had  looked  after  me 
with  the  greatest  care.  Three  loads  I  left  with 
Katonza,  who  promised  to  take  charge  of  them  until 
Kavalli's  men  should  arrive  to  take  them  up  to  the 
plateau.  He  was  better  than  his  word  in  this,  for 
two  days  afterwards  he  sent  them  up  by  his  own 
men.  I  was  able  to  get  off  at  last  at  8  o'clock, 
Katonza  and  N'guaba  accompanying  me  for  a  couple 


Swhtins;  the  Zanzibaris. 


439 


of  miles,  and  we  parted  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains 
with  mutual  expressions  of  good  will. 


[he  men  aud  carried 

her  load  right  up  the  mountains  with  apparently  no 
great  effort.  We  went  gaily  along  through  the  lovely 
park-like  plain  in  which  great  herds  of  hartebeest. 


440 


Emin  Pasha. 


kudu,  and  springbok  were  feeding.  G-roups  of 
buffaloes  stood  under  the  spreading  trees  whisking 
their  tails,  and  here  and  there  flocks  of  guinea  fowl 
might  be  seen  picking  up  a  living  on  the  fresh  green 
grass.  It  all  looked  lovely,  and  my  spirits  rose 
as  I  ascended  the  mountains  and  got  into  the  clear 
breezy  atmosphere  of  the  table-lands.  It  was  so 
beautifully  fresh  after  the  steaminess  and  heat  of 
Emin's  Province.  When  we  were  three-quarters  of 
the  way  up  the  mountains,  I  ordered  a  halt  for  a  rest, 
under  the  shade  of  some  trees  close  to  a  cool  rushing 
mountain  stream.  The  people  threw  down  their 
loads  and  jumped  into  the  water,  and  everyone  had  a 
good  bath  while  I  ate  my  lunch.  Just  as  we  were 
thinking  of  starting,  Masa,  who  was  on  the  bank 
above,  called  out  that  he  saw  people  in  gay-coloured 
clothes  descending  the  mountains.  I  climbed  the 
bank,  and  could  see  a  line  of  people  in  the  distance 
descending  the  winding  path.  When  they  got  nearer 
I  waved  my  hat  over  my  head  and  cheered.  They 
turned  out  to  be  a  party  of  our  faithful  Zanzibaris. 
As  they  caught  sight  of  me,  they  came  bounding  down 
the  mountain  side  shouting  and  firing  off  their  guns. 
They  seemed  delighted  to  see  me  again,  and  rushed 
up  in  their  boisterous  way,  shouting  out  congratula- 
tions and  words  of  welcome,  while  the  faithful  CQedi 
took  me  in  his  arms  and  embraced  me. 

They  told  me  that  Stanley  had  been  very  uneasy 
by  my  non-appearance  and  the  absence  of  news  ;  that 
each  day  he  had  become  more  and  more  anxious, 
until  he  had  at  last  decided  to  send  for  Stairs  and  the 
rest  of  the  Expedition  to  join  him.  He  had  found 
there   was   plenty   of   food  coming   in   from  the 


/  reach  Stanley  at  last. 


441 


natives,  and  had  remained  at  Kavalli's  ever  since 
January  18tli. 

Tlie  night  before,  natives  had  come  in  bringing  Stan- 
ley the  news  that  a  ^vhite  man  had  arrived  in  canoes  at 
Nyamsassie.  He  had  at  once  concluded  it  was  I, 
and  had  sent  down  a  party  of  Zanzibaris  to  meet  me, 
and  conduct  me  to  Kavalli's.  After  a  halt  of  half  an 
hour  to  rest  the  Zanzibaris,  during  which  time  a 
stream  of  questions  and  answers  was  passing  between 
us,  we  started  on.  At  a  large  clear  stream  about 
a  mile  from  Kavalli's  I  stopped,  and  had  a  delightful 
bath  and  put  on  a  clean  suit  of  clothes,  so  that  I 
might  arrive  in  camp  decently  dressed.  The  whole 
camp  had  turned  out  to  see  us  arrive,  and  in  the 
distance  I  could  see  the  Manyema  moving  about  in 
their  white  clothes.  Stanley  had  the  men  fallen  in, 
but  as  soon  as  I  approached  they  all  broke  from  the 
ranks,  and  surrounded  me,  shouting  congratulations 
and  shaking  my  hands  nearly  off.  It  was  delightful 
to  be  so  boisterously  welcomed,  after  I  had  been 
smarting  for  so  many  months  under  the  treatment  of 
the  Soudanese  and  Egyptians. 

Stanley  received  me  in  his  usual  calm  manner, 
tempered,  however,  by  a  smile  ;  I  think  he  was  pleased 
to  see  me  again,  I  know  I  was  glad  to  see  him. 

The  Manyema  chiefs  and  different  people  came  up 
to  greet  me  cordially,  and  Stanley  conducted  me  to 
'ais  tent — amid  a  running  fire  of  greetings  from  the 
men — to  give  me  tea  and  hear  my  news.  Two 
letters  were  put  into  my  hand,  dated  June,  1887  ; 
this  was  February,  1889.  However,  it  was  news 
from  home,  and  I  tore  them  open  and  read  them 
eagerly. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

EMIN'S  KELIEF. 

Our  camp  at  Kavalli's — A  difficult  storj'  to  tell — Plans  discussed — 
Stanley  sends  for  Stairs — Letter  despatched  to  Emin — Among 
friends  again — Letter  from  Emin— Emin's  arrival  at  Were — 
Zanzibaris  welcome  Emin — The  Pasha's  story — Unlooked-for  turn 
of  Fortune's  wheel — Refugees  require  carriers — Start  with  Emin 
for  Kavalli's — Patient  Zanzibaris — Emin's  and  Stanley's  second 
meeting — Stairs  and  his  party  arrive — -The  Expedition  re-united 
~"  Dead  !  Master  !  Dead  !  "—Reflections— The  end. 

The  camp,  which  was  close  to  Kavalli's  village,  was 
of  a  good  size,  and  there  was  a  camp  for  Tippu  Tib's 
people  a  hundred  yards  distant  below  our  camp. 
The  Zanzibaris  had  built  their  grass  huts  in  a  circle, 
and  Stanley's  tent  was  pitched  in  the  middle,  near 
which  a  nice  grass  house  was  built  ready  for  me. 
Bonny  alone  was  with  Stanley.  The  three  officers. 
Stairs,  Nelson,  and  Parke  were  still  at  the  camp  on 
the  Ituri  Ferry  with  the  sick,  and  a  good  many 
loads. 

I  dined  with  Stanley,  and  we  sat  up  till  late  that 
night  exchanging  news.  I  explained  as  well  as  I 
could  Emin's  position,  and  gave  Stanley  to  under- 
stand— as  was  most  emphatically  the  case — that 
hitherto  Emin  himself  had  been  the  principal  obstacle 
to  his  own  rescue,  for  he  had  thrown  away  two 
chances  of  making  his  way  to  Stanley.  If  I  could 
get  out  with  only  ten  rifles,  he  could  have  got  out 


Plan  for  rescuing  Emin.  443 

with  the  thirty  or  more  he  probably  would  have  had, 
I  explained  to  Stanley  it  was  utterly  impossible  for  me 
to  tell  him  briefly  the  position  of  affairs  in  the  country. 
"What  the  people  intended  doing,  I,  even  after  eight 
months  residence  there,  had  never  been  wholly  able 
to  understand.  I  could  only  tell  my  story,  quoting 
certain  incidents  which  had  happened,  and  relating 
certain  conversations  I  had  had  with  Emin,  and  then 
leave  him  to  draw  his  own  conclusions. 

Stanley  asked  me  what  plan  I,  who  knew  the 
country,  would  suggest,  in  order  to  help  Emin  to  get 
out.  I  told  him  I  thought  the  best  plan  was  to 
march  to  Magala's  village,  on  the  plateau  above 
Magunga,  which  was  some  eight  or  ten  miles  from 
M'swa,  and  then  if  Stanley  would  let  me  go  down, 
accompanied  by  my  boy  Binza,  to  M'swa  station,  I 
could  signal  to  the  party  of  Zanzibaris,  who  could 
remain  on  the  plateau  in  sight  of  the  station.  If  the 
Pasha  was  there,  and  all  was  well,  the  Zanzibaris 
could  then  descend  into  the  station,  and  conduct 
Emin  to  Stanley's  camp,  when  we  could  immediately 
return  to  Kavalli's,  and  wait  for  such  people  as  were 
willing  to  join  us  afterwards.  I  think  Stanley  made 
up  his  mind,  if  the  worst  came  to  the  worst,  to  adopt 
this  plan,  though  he  never  actually  said  so.  He 
merely  said  that  he  must  get  the  rest  of  the  Expedi- 
tion to  Kavalli's  before  he  could  do  anything,  as  his 
numbers  at  present  were  too  small  to  admit  of  his 
taking  any  decisive  step  towards  helping  Emin. 

He  declared  that  if  he  did  decide  to  adopt  this 
plan,  he  would  not  move  until  he  had  actually  heard 
that  Emin  was  at  M'swa.  Knowing  Emin  as  I  did, 
I  thought  Stanley's  decision  was  exceedingly  wise. 


444 


Emin  Pasha. 


•  There  was  one  thing  about  Stanley  which  made 
working  under  him  interesting  ;  he  was  always  ready 
to  listen  patiently  to  what  his  officers  said  with 
regard  to  any  step  which  it  was  proposed  to  make, 
and  even  if  he  did  not  agree  with  them  he  never  merely 
said  shortly  that  it  was  impossible,  but  carefully 
explained  why  he  thought  that  the  suggestion  made 
was  not  good,  or  was  impossible  to  follow.  By  this 
means  we  received  a  great  deal  of  useful  instruction, 
which  we  should  not  otherwise  be  in  the  way  of  getting. 
Stanley  was  also  constantly  sketching  an  imaginary 
situation,  and  then  turning  sharply  on  you,  and 
asking  you  what  you  would  do  under  those  circum- 
stances.   It  was  a  good  school. 

Stanley  had  already  written  to  Stairs,  ordering  him 
to  come  at  once,  and  had  given  him  extracts  from  my 
letters  to  him,  sapng  the  Pasha  and  I  had  been  made 
prisoners.  He  now  added  a  postscript,  telling  him 
that  I  had  arrived  at  his  camp.  This  letter  he 
despatched  to  Stairs  with  a  party  of  thirty-five  men 
on  February  7th,  the  day  after  I  had  arrived. 

On  February  8th,  the  seven  soldiers  who  had 
accompanied  me  from  M'swa,  with  Masa  and  the 
Lurs,  started  off  to  return  to  M'swa.  They  took 
with  them  a  letter  from  Stanley,  begging  Emin  to 
come  to  M'swa,  at  which  place  he  would  probably  be 
able  to  help  him.  I  also  sent  a  letter  to  Emin, 
telling  him  such  news  as  I  had  heard,  and  adding  my 
persuasions  to  those  of  Stanley's.  Before  starting. 
Stanley  told  me  to  give  each  of  the  Lurs  a  necklace 
of  large  blue  beads,  and  a  number  of  cowries  ;  with 
these  they  were  delighted.  Stanley  sent  messages  to 
Shukri  Aga,  and  a  present  of  a  handsome  silk  sash. 


Among  faithful  Friends. 


445 


During  the  next  few  days  there  was  plenty  to  do. 
I  had  to  build  several  huts  to  take  in  the  rest  of  thy 
officers  of  the  Expedition  when  they  arrived,  and  t( 
make  my  own  tent  out  of  a  large  tarpaulin  he  haa 
given  me  for  the  purpose.  I  had  also  my  report 
to  write  for  Stanley  of  my  stay  in  Emin's  Province. 
During  these  days  when  we  were  alone,  I  had  my 
meals  with  Stanley,  and  we  constantly  talked 
of  my  experiences.  By  relating  the  whole  story, 
explaining  different  things  in  it,  and  recounting 
incidents  which  had  happened,  and  conversations  I 
had  had  with  Emin,  Stanley  was  at  length  able  to 
grasp  the  situation. 

During  these  evenings  Stanley  would  sit  outside 
smoking  his  pipe,  and  I  would  be  with  him  talking. 
I  shall  never  forget  the  pleasure  that  time  was 
to  me.  To  again  be  with  a  man  who  never  hesitated, 
whose  word  was  law,  and  whose  every  order  was 
implicitly  obeyed  ;  to  talk  to  this  man,  and  to  listen 
to  his  clear  sensible  remarks  and  judgment  on  events, 
— was  like  a  tonic  coming  after  the  disorder  and 
vacillating  policy  which  I  had  been  accustomed  to 
for  those  preceding  eight  months.  Things  which 
had  somewhat  mystified  me  before,  now  became 
clear  as  I  listened  to  Stanley's  comments  and  re- 
marks ;  while  all  around  were  the  camp-fires 
lighting  up  the  happy,  contented  faces  of  our 
Zanzibaris.  With  the  shouting  and  laughter  of  our 
men  about  us,  I  lay  back  in  my  chair  with  utter  satis- 
faction and  content  in  the  feeling  that  the  days  of 
treachery  which  had  hemmed  me  in  for  so  many 
months  were  over,  and  that  at  last  I  was  again  sur- 
rounded by  faithful  friends.    It  was  like  coming  home. 


446 


Emin  Pasha. 


Stanley  and  I  were  sitting  together  talking  after 
dinner  on  the  evening  of  the  13th,  when  a  native 
came  m  and  handed  him  a  letter.  Eagerly  he  tore  it 
open  and  tossed  an  enclosure  over  to  me.  The  letters 
were  from  Emin  who  had  arrived  in  the  steamer  the 
evening  before,  at  a  place  called  Were,  near  Xyam- 
sassie  Island. 

He  had  brought'  a  number  of  officers  and  people 
with  him,  and  now  wrote  to  ask  Stanley  to  send  down 
a  party  of  his  men  to  escort  him  to  Kavalli's.  He 
said  he  had  brought  the  boat  Advance  with  him, 
which  had  been  fitted  up  with  fresh  bolts  and  screws, 
and  he  had  also  brought  sixty  tusks  of  ivory  to  pay 
Tippu  Tib's  people. 

Stanley  was  delighted  with  the  news,  and  leaning 
across  the  table  said,  "  shake  hands  on  it,  old  fellow  ! 
we'll  be  successful  after  all."  I  told  him  if  any  one 
deserved  success,  he  did,  for  he  had  toiled  hard  for  it. 
Stanley  went  outside  his  tent  and  called  out  to  the 
Zanzibaris  who  immediately  came  rushing  up.  He 
told  them  that  the  Pasha  had  arrived  at  Nyamsassie, 
and  that  we  should  be  able  to  save  him  after  all. 
They  cheered  and  shouted  frantically,  and  were 
dancing  and  singing  over  the  news  half  the  light. 

My  letter  from  Emin  was  as  follows: — 

"  Camp  at  Were,  near  Katonza's, 

"  Fehriiarij  13th,  1889. 
"  Dear  Mr.  Jephson, — Yesterday,  in  the  afternoon, 
I  arrived  here  with  the  two  steamers,  accompanied 
by  Casati,  Marco,  Vita,  Selim  Aga,  Bilal  Aga,  Surore 
Aga  (of  Lahore  fame  !)  and  a  lot  of  officers  with 
forty  soldiers  as  a  guard.    There  are  Eajab  and  Arif 


Letter  from  Emin.  447 

l^jffendi  and  some  more  people,  every  one  with  me  lias 
his  things  and  traps.  I've  brought  the  ivory  and 
Advance  ready  for  service.  I  wrote  to  Mr.  Stanley 
asking  him  for  carriers  to  fetch  some  sesame, 
duchan,  etc.,  for  your  party,  but  as  the  officers  are 
very  anxious  to  see  him,  and  hear  from  himself  what  he 
proposes,  I  shall  probably,  after  two  or  three  days, 
start  with  them  for  your  camp — if  I  can.  I  am 
somewhat  ill  and  walk  only  with  great  difficulty  and 
pain.  If  I  am  unable  to  come  I  shall  write  explicitly. 
We  have  things  now  in  our  hands  and  must  make  the 
best  of  it.  They  have  made  submission  to  me,  and 
are  quite  willing  to  obey,  but  I  do  not  think  they  will 
all  come  in  from  Wadelai. 

"  There  are  with  me  Bachit's  and  Binza's  wives,  two 
girls,  the  boy  Sabuni  and  a  woman  and  child  you  left 
with  us,  belonging,  I  think,  to  some  of  your  people. 

"  I  am  greatly  obliged  for  your  kind  remembrance 
of  my  girl  ;  she  is,  of  course  here,  and  kisses  your 
hands. 

"  How  much  I  should  like  to  be  with  you,  you  may 
well  understand.  There  are  so  many  things  to  be 
talked  over,  so  many  provisions  to  be  made,  that  only 
an  interview  with  Mr.  Stanley  can  help  us.  I  shall, 
therefore,  come  there  as  quickly  as  I  can.  The 
steamers  go  back  to  M'swa  to  fetch  clerks  and 
Irregulars  ;  if  you  need  anything  from  there  write  to 
me  at  once.  I  hope  the  news  you  received  from  home 
was  pleasant  and  satisfactory  to  you ;  after  your 
trials  on  the  road,  your  imprisonment  here,  and  your 
long  afflictions  with  me,  you  merit,  at  least,  a  fair 
reward.  For  the  political  news  you  kindly  gave  me, 
my  best  thanks. 


448 


Emin  Pasha. 


"  I  have  been  greatly  rejoiced  by  a  cutting  from  a 
paper  I  found  in  one  of  my  letters  sent  to  me  by 
Mr.  Stanley  ;  the  whole  batch  of  boxes  I  have  sent  to 
the  British  Museum,  has  been  received  in  a  good 
state. 

"  Please  give  my  greetings  to  your  fellow-officers. 
Casati  and  the  others  desire  me  to  make  you  their 
obeisance. 

"  Hoping  to  see  you  very  soon, 

"  I  am,  yours  very  sincerely, 

"Dr.  Emix. 

"  P.S. — I  have  rewarded  the  people  you  recom- 
mended to  me.  The  chief  of  Magunga  shall  have  his 
women." 

Stanley  told  me  that  on  the  morrow  I  was  to  start 
off  for  the  lake  with  some  Zanzibaris  and  natives, 
and  bring  Emin  and  his  people  and  loads  up  to 
Kavalli's  without  delay. 

On  February  14th,  I  started  off  at  seven  o'clock  with 
sixty-four  Zanzibaris,  and  about  the  same  number  of 
native  carriers  with  orders  to  bring  the  Pasha,  his 
loads,  and  such  officers  as  wished  to  come  and  consult 
with  him.  These  officers,  after  consulting  with  him, 
were  to  return  to  AYadelai,  there  to  remain,  or  to 
bring  out  their  families  as  the  case  might  be.  We 
all  got  off  in  the  highest  spirits,  the  caravan  going 
well,  led  by  Uledi  carrying  the  Egyptian  flag.  We 
reached  the  foot  of  the  mountains  in  good  time, 
but  the  natives  who  were  leading  us  to  Emin's 
camp  missed  the  path,  and  took  us  down  a  very  bad 
mountain  road,  which  was  like  the  dry,  rocky  bed  of 
a  torrent.    They  led  us  in  a  semi-circle  through  the 


EmirC s  arrival  at  W^rd. 


449 


plain,  and  we  did  not  arriv.e  at  the  lake  shore  till 
nearly  five,  after  a  hot  and  weary  march  of  seven- 
teen miles.  We  arrived  foot  sore  and  worn  out,  and 
almost  parched  with  thirst,  for  there  was  very  little 
water  on  the  way,  and  that  only  of  the  filthiest 
description.  "We  passed  herds  of  antelope  or  all 
kinds,  and  numbers  of  buifaloes  and  pigs  feeding  on 
the  plain,  but  the  people  were  too  weary  to  care  to 
leave  the  path  to  shoot  them,  and  only  thought  of 
reaching  Emin's  camp  as  soon  as  possible.  On 
arriving,  however,  in  sight  of  the  lake,  the 
Zanzibaris,  in  spite  of  their  weariness,  rushed  madly 
into  the  camp,  shouting  at  the  tops  of  their  voices 
"  Salaam  !  Basha  !  Salaam  !  " 

They  went  through  the  usual  mad  antics  of 
expressing  their  satisfaction  at  seeing  the  "Basha," 
as  they  called  him,  and  they  surrounded  him  shout- 
ing out  all  kinds  of  welcomes  ;  he  stood  amongst 
them  laughing,  and  looked  very  pleased  at  being  so 
boisterously  greeted. 

The  Soudanese  soldiers  looked  on  the  antics  of  the 
Zanzibaris  with  astonishment  depicted  on  their 
heavy  unsmiling  faces,  evidently  wondering  what 
kind  of  people  these  noisy,  and  apparently  unruly 
Zanzibaris  could  be. 

Emin  greeted  me  warmly;  he  seemed  very  unwell, 
but  cheered  up  wonderfully  at  the  idea  of  getting 
out  of  the  country.  The  little  Farida  came  to  see 
me,  and  all  the  ofiicers,  clerks,  and  people  came  up  also 
and  had  a  long  talk.  Emin  told  me  he  had  decided  to 
call  all  his  officers  together  the  next  morning,  and 
asked  me  to  speak  to  them,  and  get  them  to  decide 
upon  what  they  wished  to  do. 


450 


Emin  Pasha. 


1 


The  camp  was  in  a  splendid  situation,  some  seven 
miles  south  of  our  camp  at  M'sabe.  The  plain  there,  as 
at  Katonza's,  was  like  a  park,  and  sloped  upgentlyfrom 
the  lake  from  which  a  beautiful  view  through  the  trees 
could  be  got  from  the  Pasha's  hut.  There  were  great 
olumps  and  rows  of  forest  trees ;  the  huts  were 
dotted  about  amongst  them,  and  looked  very  pretty 
and  picturesque  ;  but  it  was  very  hot,  and  there  were 
swarms  of  mosquitoes.  Emin,  Casati,  and  I  sat  out 
in  the  moonlight  after  dinner  smoking,  and  Emin 
told  me  what  news  there  was  from  his  Province. 

General  chaos  and  confusion  still  reigned  there, 
and  the  usual  impossible  stories  and  rumours 
were  floating  about.  No  more  news  had  been 
heard  of  the  Donagla,  who  were  still  at  Rejaf, 
waiting  for  reinforcements  to  arrive  from  Khartoum. 
Emin  professed  himself  greatly  astonished  at  being 
able  to  get  out  of  the  country  after  all ;  the  Donagla 
had  certainly  turned  out  to  be  our  best  friends,  for 
they  had  frightened  the  people  into  letting  us  leave 
Dufile,  and  had  we  not  been  able  to  get  away  from 
there  when  we  did,  we  should  most  certainly  have 
been  lost. 

He  had  with  him  Selim  Aga  (now  a  Bey),  Bilal 
Aga,  who  had  fought  so  well  in  Dufile ;  Surore  Aga, 
who  did  his  best  to  get  Emin  and  me  massacred  in 
Lahore,  and  several  other  ofl&cers  and  clerks  with 
their  wives  and  children. 

It  appeared  that  Selim  Bey  on  receiving  the  letter 
I  wrote  before  starting  from  Tunguru,  read  it  out 
before  all  the  rebel  officers  at  AVadelai,  and  he  at 
once  announced  his  intention  of  going  in  the  steamer 
to  see  Stanley.    There  were,  as  a  matter  of  course. 


Effect  of  the  News  of  Stanley^ s  arrival.  451 

great  dissensions  amongst  the  officers  wlio  wished  to 
go  out  with  us,  and  those  who  wished  to  remain,  and 
the  quarrel  became  violent. 

But  both  officers  and  soldiers  were  very  much 
alarmed  to  hear  that  I  had  actually  got  out  of  the 
country  without  their  permission,  and  had  probably 
reached  Stanley  by  the  time  they  got  the  letter. 

Exaggerated  reports  of  Stanley's  strength  and 
number  had  been  bruited  abroad,  and  they  feared 
that  as  I  had  reached  Stanley,  and  had  told  him 
the  story  of  the  rebellion,  that  he  would  probably 
be  down  on  them,  and  attack  them  from  the  south. 
To  the  north  were  the  Donagla,  so  they  would  be 
between  two  fires.  Selim  Bey's  party  therefore 
prevailed,  and  a  number  of  officers  and  people 
took  the  steamers,  bringing  with  them  the  tusks 
of  ivory  I  had  asked  for  Tippu  Tib's  carriers, 
and  they  started  for  Tunguru  to  see  Emin.  Surore 
Aga  and  certain  others,  I  am  persuaded,  had  no  idea 
of  coming  out;  they  had  only  come  to  see  what 
Stanley's  strength  really  was. 

On  arriving  at  Tunguru,  they  all  came  before 
Emin,  and  desired  him  to  accompany  them  to  M's^s^a; 
this  he  agreed  to  do,  and  went  in  the  steamer,  taking 
with  him  Casati,  Vita,  Marco,  and  as  many  people  as 
he  could. 

After  waiting  a  few  days  at  M'swa,  the  officers 
again  came  before  Emin,  and  asked  him  to  accom- 
pany them  to  Stanley.  He  asked  them  in  what 
capacity.  They  answered  they  wished  him  to  go  as 
their  interpreter.  Upon  this,  he  told  them  such  a 
thing  was  impossible,  he  could  never  go  in  that 
capacity.    They  then  retired  and  there  was  a  con- 

G  g  2 


452 


Emin  Pasha. 


sultation  held — they  always  were  holding  consulta- 
tions— at  which  Shukri  Aga  came  to  the  fore  and 
spoke  up  in  the  Pasha's  favour,  drawing  a  dreary 
picture  of  what  would  happen  to  them  if  they  did 
not  gain  Stanley's  friendship  ;  after  much  talking 
they  decided  to  go  to  the  Pasha  again.  By  the 
advice  of  Shukri  Aga  and  Selim  Aga  they  went  in 
a  body  to  Emin,  and  said  they  had  come  to  make 
their  submission,  and  wished  him  to  go  with  them 
before  Stanley  as  their  Mudir.  On  this  understanding 
Emin  consented  to  go.  Shukri  Aga  was,  of  course, 
delighted  at  the  turn  affairs  had  taken,  and  made 
great  rejoicings  in  the  station.  Quantities  of  meat 
were  got  ready,  and  a  great  feast  was  made,  at  which 
the  officers  ate  and  drank  to  their  hearts'  content, 
were  put  into  a  good  temper.  Shukri  Aga  knew 
well  how  to  deal  with  them  ! 

Emin  then  made  Selim  Aga,  a  Bey — a  rank  equal  to 
a  Lieut. -Colonel — and  told  him  to  send  him  in  a  list 
of  the  names  of  such  men  as  had  behaved  well  in  the 
fight  at  Dufile,  and  he  would  give  them  promotion. 

He  also  promoted  Shukri  Aga,  on  his  own  account, 
to  the  rank  of  Captain — he  was  only  a  second  lieu- 
tenant before — in  consideration  of  his  loyal  service 
to  him  throughout  the  rebellion. 

In  two  days  they  had  started  in  the  steamer,  and 
had  arrived  at  "Were  on  February  1 2th,  just  six  days 
after  I  had  reached  Kavallis. 

So  after  all,  everything  was  well ;  there  was  no  need 
for  us  to  march  to  M'swa,  and  the  ivory  was  there  to 
pay  the  carriers. 

On  the  next  morning  Emin  called  all  the  officers 
together  and  I  spoke  long  with  them.    It  was  decided 


Unlimiied  Carriers  wanted.  453 

that  Emin  and  eight  officers  should  start  the  next 
day  for  Kavalli's.  The  officers,  after  speaking  to 
Stanley,  would  stay  a  few  days  at  Kavalli's,  to  settle 
things,  and  then  return  to  Wadelai  to  make  their 
preparations  for  starting.  They  asked  me  if  I  could 
give  them  twenty  carriers  to  carry  sufficient  things 
for  three  days  ;  I  said  certainly.  Emin  had  a  great 
many  loads,  but  most  of  them  contained  corn  and 
sesame,  of  which  a  good  deal  w^as  for  us.  I  afterwards 
asked  Casati  if  he  would  come  with  us  the  next  day, 
but  he  said  he  preferred  to  wait  a  bit,  when  he  would 
bring  all  his  loads  up  at  the  same  time. 

I  asked  him  how  many  carriers  he  wanted,  to  which 
he  replied,  with  a  shrug  of  his  shoulders,  "  Oh,  I  am 
very  poor,  T  have  not  much  baggage,  all  my  things 
were,  you  know,  taken  from  me  by  Kaba-regga,  I  will 
manage  to  do  with  eighty  carriers  !  "  Marco  wanted 
sixty  !  and  Vita  Hassan,  the  Apothecary,  fifty  ! 
One  hundred  and  ninety  carriers  for  three  people  ! 
"We  had  but  250  men  in  all,  and  those  were 
principally  taken  up  with  carrying  ammunition,  cloth 
and  beads  for  money,  and  such  things.  The  time  I 
knew  could  not  be  far  distant  when  they  would  be 
brought  to  their  bearings  pretty  smartly,  and  I  was 
content  to  wait. 

Emin  told  me  that  Casati  had  been  strongly  averse 
to  his  going  to  M'swa,  and  had  urged  him  not  to 
come  down  to  us  as  it  would  be  "  impolitic  "  and 
would  anger  the  rebel  chiefs.  This  advice  was  given 
in  the  face  of  the  miraculous  opening  which  Emin 
had  of  getting  out  of  the  country,  an  opening 
equally  unexpected  by  Emin  or  by  us. 

I  went  round  to  see  most  of  the  people  and  to  have  a 


454 


Emin  Pasha. 


talk  with  them ;  they  were  just  as  selfish  and  help- 
less as  ever,  and  I  became  quite  disgusted  at  trying 
to  arrange  things  for  them,  this  sort  of  thing  was 
doubly  aggravating  to  me  after  coming  fresh  from 
our  well-ordered  camp.  Selim  Bey  took  me  down  to 
the  lake  shore  to  show  me  our  boat,  which  he  had 
got  ready  for  us.  He  had  found  some  bolts  in 
the  storehouses,  which  had  just  .fitted  her,  so  she 
was  as  good  as  ever.  We  were,  however,  unfor- 
tunately obliged  to  leave  her  on  the  lake  when  we 
came  away,  as  we  were  quite  unable  with  our  small 
caravan  to  carry  her. 

During  the  day,  Nampigua  and  Katonza  came  in  to 
see  the  Pasha,  they  both  complained  of  Kavalli.  As 
there  was  no  meat  in  the  camp,  I  sent  some  of  the 
men  to  try  and  get  some  antelope.  In  a  very  short 
time  they  returned,  bringing  in  a  hartebeest,  two 
kudu,  a  springbok  and  a  buffalo.  The  Zanzibaris 
were  very  bad  shots,  so  this  will  give  some  idea  of 
the  abundance  and  tameness  of  the  gam.e  on  the 
JN'yanza  plain.  I  gave  out  a  large  packet  of  salt, 
Avhich  Emin  had  brought  amongst  others  with  him  ; 
it  was  very  scarce  in  the  country,  and  was  a  great 
treat  to  the  men.  Emin's  people  gave  them  plenty 
of  flour,  so  with  the  animals  they  had  shot  they  were 
quite  happy. 

Next  morning,  I  was  up  early  to  get  the  loads  off  ; 
such  a  confusion  and  waiting  as  there  was  for  the 
loads  of  the  oflBcers  and  clerks  who  were  coming  with 
us  !  Some  of  the  loads  were  enormously  heavy,  others 
were  absurdly  light,  the  officers  were  too  lazy  to  take 
the  trouble  to  equalize  them.  One  saw  a  great  load 
of  pots,  kettles  and  pans,  heavy  enough  for  two  men 


Oitr  patient  Zanzibaris. 


455 


to  carry ;  and  another  basket  containing  only  a 
lantern  and  a  pipe.  The  two  equally  divided  would 
have  made  tAvo  fair  loads,  but  Emin's  people  never 
thought  of  that. 

The  officers  looked  at  me  with  intense  surprise 
when  I  fell  my  men  in  and  gave  each  his  load  with 
my  OAvn  hands — they  made  no  attempt  whatever  to 
help  me.  I  saw,  witli  a  feeling  of  amusement,  that  I 
had  fallen  fifty  per  cent,  in  their  estimation,  and  that 
they  found  me  only  a  low  caste  person  after  all.  Had 
I  sat  still  and  deputed  someone  else  to  do  my  work 
they  would  have  respected  me  immensely. 

I  asked  Emin  to  go  ahead  with  my  Zanzibari 
chiefs,  who  would  lead  the  way,  whilst  I  brought  up 
the  rear  and  looked  after  stray  loads.  Marco  very 
kindly  lent  me  his  donkey,  for  my  feet  were  sore 
from  the  long  march  down  from  Kavallis. 

The  Zanzibaris  went  along  well,  and  after  three 
hours,  I  came  upon  Emin  and  all  the  people,  stopping 
for  an  hour's  rest  by  a  large  stream  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountains.  After  we  had  rested  we  began  the 
ascent  to  our  camping-place  which  was  by  a  stream, 
about  three-quarters  of  the  way  up  the  mountains. 

It  was  now  that  I  felt  so  indignant  when  I  saw 
our  hard-worked,  faithful  Zanzibaris,  patiently  toil- 
ing in  the  broiling  sun  up  the  mountain  side, 
staggering  under  the  weight  of  the  heavy  loads 
belonging  to  some  of  Emin's  worthless  people.  They 
were  mostly  loads  of  rubbish  which  would  have  to  be 
thrown  away  when  we  made  our  final  start  from 
Kavalli's.  Selim  Bey,  a  huge  fat  Soudanese,  a  sort 
of  mound  of  flesh,  rode  up  the  mountain  side  on  a 
small  donkey,  and  never  got  off  even  at  the  most 


456 


Emin  Pasha. 


precipitous  places.  I,  who  was  below,  occasionally 
got  views  of  the  profile  of  him  and  his  donkey  against 
the  sky  line,  which  were  most  ludicrous.  This  huge 
fat  man,  seated  on  his  very  small  donkey,  well  over 
it's  tail,  which  hung  down  from  directly  beneath  him, 
and  looked  as  if  it  belonged  to  himself  ! 

We  got  up  to  our  camping-place  in  good  time,  and 
Emin  and  I  had  a  bath  in  the  stream,  and  after- 
wards clambered  about  its  rocky  bed  in  search  of 
botanical  specimens.  Emin  saw  some  new  treasure 
at  almost  every  turn  ;  getting  up  to  the  heights,  and 
marking  the  changes  in  the  flora,  was  to  him  an 
endless  source  of  joy.  I  sat  on  a  rock  in  the  middle  of 
the  stream,  and  watched  him  with  amusement,  as  he 
stumbled  among  the  rocks,  poking  about  everywhere 
with  his  stick,  and  peering  inquisitively  into  every 
hole  and  corner  with  his  short-sighted  eyes. 

We  slept  in  the  open,  for  we  had  no  tents  with  us, 
and  as  it  was  a  very  exposed  spot,  the  wind,  which 
blew  from  the  mountains,  was  bitterly  cold. 

There  was  considerable  difficulty  next  morning  in 
getting  off,  for  some  of  the  native  carriers  had  run 
away  in  the  night  owing  to  the  unconscionable  weight 
of  some  of  the  officers'  loads.  Some  of  the  officers 
even  wanted  to  distribute  the  extra  loads  among 
those  carried  by  the  Zanzibaris,  which  were  already 
too  heavy.  I  heard  a  disturbance  going  on  at  the 
other  end  of  the  camp,  and  found  some  of  my  men 
loudly  expostulating  with  some  of  the  officers  who 
wished  to  add  to  their  loads.  One  of  them  had 
the  impertinence  to  threaten  a  Zanzibari  with  a 
stick,  but  T  very  soon  put  a  stop  to  that,  and  told 
Emin's  officers  these  men  were  not  our  slaves  but  our 


Second  Meeting  of  Stanley  and  Ernin.       45  7 


friends ;  they  smiled,  as  if  I  were  chaffing  them. 
By  insisting  on  the  servants  of  the  officers  carrying, 
and  giving  the  rest  of  the  loads  to  my  Soudanese 
soldiers,  I  got  them  to  the  top  of  the  mountain  where 
I  was  able  to  obtain  some  more  native  carriers  from  a 
neighbouring  chief.  For  two  months  this  was  the 
sort  of  trouble  we  experienced  in  bringing  the  things 
of  Emin's  people  from  the  lake  to  the  plateau  above. 

At  a  river  which  ran  about  half  an  hour's  distance 
from  Kavalli's,  we  stopped,  and  every  one  bathed,  and 
put  on  his  best  clothes.  AVe  were  quite  an  imposing- 
looking  caravan,  with  all  the  bright  cloths,  and  snow- 
white  clothes  of  Emin's  people,  as  with  flags  flying, 
and  trumpets  playing  the  Khedivial  hymn,  we  marched 
into  our  camp.  So,  for  the  second  time,  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  witnessing  the  meeting  of  Stanley  and 
Emin. 

During  my  absence,  Stanley  had  had  a  large  open 
shed  built  as  a  divan,  and  here  a  long  palaver  was 
held.  Stanley,  Emin  and  I,  sat  out  after  dinner 
talking,  and  we  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  Emin 
in  our  camp  at  last,  and  feeling  that  now  we  could 
see  some  chance  of  our  prolonged  stay  in  Africa 
coming  to  an  end. 

At  about  ten  o'clock  the  next  day,  February  18th, 
the  caravan,  bringing  all  the  loads,  men  and  Euro- 
peans from  Kandekori  (the  station  at  Tturi  Ferry, 
which  Stanley  had  left  under  the  command  of  Stairs), 
was  seen  winding  over  the  hills.  In  about  an  hour 
and  a  half  the  head  of  the  long  column  entered  the 
camp.  Most  of  the  faces  of  the  Zanzibaris  I  knew, 
but  a  good  many,  chiefly  those  of  the  rear  column,  T 
had  forgotten. 


Emin  Pasha. 


Many  of  tliera  looked  well,  hut  some  of  tLera  were 
perfect  skeletons;  they  had  never  got  over  the  star- 
vation in  the  forest,  and  many  of  them  still  had  bad 
ulcerated  feet. 

Stairs,  Parke  and  N"elson  were  all  looking  well.  I 
was  indeed  contented  at  seeing  them  again,  and  once 
more  being  with  them. 

The  Expedition  was  now  re-united  for  the  first  time 
since  our  leaving  Stanley  Pool.  Re-united,  but  alas  ! 
with  what  sadly  diminished  numbers  !  It  was  sad 
when  the  men  were  all  gathered  at  Kavalli's,  and  I 
missed  some  of  the  well-known  faces,  to  hear  that  I 
should  never  see  their  cheery,  kindly  faces  again. 

"  Uledi,"  I  woukl  say,  "  I  do  not  see  "Wadi  Mabruki, 
where  is  he  ?  "  "  Dead,  master,  dead,"  would  be  the 
answer.  "  He  was  drowned  in  the  river."  "  And 
where  is  Markatubu  ?  "  "  Dead,  master,  too,  shot  by 
~\Va-shenzi  "  (natives).  And  so  I  heard,  one  by  one, 
of  the  deaths  of  many  of  the  men,  who  had  worked 
cheerfully  with  us  so  long,  and  had  fed  us  during  the 
daj'S  of  starvation.  In  looking  round  the  faces  of 
our  men,  there  was  scarcely  one  that  had  not  done  me 
a  good  turn  some  time  or  other. 

Of  the  difficulties  we  afterwards  experienced  from 
the  intrigues  and  ingratitude  of  Emin's  people,  and 
of  our  final  start  for  Zanzibar,  it  is  not  my  intention 
to  Avrite.  Of  the  experiences  we  passed  through  on 
our  way  to  the  coast,  and  the  discoveries  made  ;  of 
the  patience  and  splendid  qualities  of  our  faithful 
Zanzibaris,  and  a  hundred  other  events,  Stanley  has 
written,  far  better  than  I  could.  Throughout  the 
months  we  have  been  together  in  Africa  ;  through 
the  darkness  and  misery  of  the  forest ;  through 


Coficlusion. 


459 


starvation,  uncertainty,  and  sickness  ;  and  through 
the  lonsf  march  to  the  coast,  there  have  been  three 
things  above  all  others  which  have  kept  us  up,  and 
Avhich  have  enabled  us  to  be  steadfast  and  compara- 
tively cheery.  First,  the  love  and  interest  we  all  had 
for  our  work.  Second,  the  implicit  trust  and  con- 
fidence Ave  have  ever  had  in  our  leader.  And  third, 
and  I  think  not  least,  the  strong  friendship  which  has 
always  existed  between  Stairs,  Nelson,  Parke,  and 
myself.  When  starvation  stared  us  in  the  face,  when 
our  faithful  men  fell  around  us,  and  when  there 
seemed  to  be  no  break  in  the  black  cloud  which 
enveloped  us,  these  three  influences  cheered  us  on, 
and  prevented  our  giving  in.  It  was  my  intention 
only  to  relate  my  experiences  in  Emin's  Province,  as 
I  alone  of  Stanley  staff,  could  fill  in  this  gap  in  the 
story  of  the  Expedition. 

During  the  time  I  passed  in  the  Equatorial 
Province,  it  was  my  lot  to  see  many  things  concern- 
ing the  government  and  treatment  of  the  natives 
which  I  could  not  too  deeply  deplore.  Things  which 
happened  from  no  fault  on  the  part  of  Emin,  but 
which  were  owing  to  the  miserable  quality  of  the 
material  with  which  he  had  to  work. 

The  outcasts  and  worst  characters  in  Egypt — men 
who  had  been  transported  for  all  kinds  of  horrible 
crimes,  were  the  people  who  were  sent  to  Emin  to  help 
him  to  govern  a  country — a  vast  country,  containing 
many  different  tribes,  which,  even  with  good  ofiicers, 
would  always  have  been  difficult  to  rule.  Its  very 
vastness  made  it  impossible  for  him  to  supervise  such 
officers  sufficiently,  and  so  prevent  the  many  iniqui- 
tous abuses,  the  robbery  and  ill-treatment  of  the 


46o 


Emin  Pasha. 


natives  from  creeping  in — abuses  whicli  no  one 
hated  and  deplored  more  than  did  Emin  himself. 
Yet,  though  I  pitied  him  deeply  for  the  disappoint- 
ment he  experienced  at  seeing  his  work  of  thirteen 
years  tumbling  in  ruins,  I  could  never  regret  the 
downfall  of  the  last  of  the  Soudan  Provinces,  with  its 
corrupt  Egyptian  rule. 

It  is  a  beautiful  country — a  fertile  land — and 
might,  if  properly  governed,  be  made  a  magnificent 
and  rich  Province.  It  is  lost  now,  but  I  trust  it  will 
not  be  lost  for  long.  I  would  rather  say,  let  us  re- 
turn to  Central  Africa  to  the  Equatorial  Province, 
and  build  a  Grovernment  there,  founded  on  another 
footing  than  that  of  cruelty,  robbery,  and  corruption. 
Let  us  raise  a  new  Government,  firmly  built  upon  the 
foundation  of  humanity,  justice,  and  fair  trade. 
These  are  the  three  influences  which  will  civilize 
Africa,  and  let  in  light  for  ever  on  the  Dark  Con- 
tinent. 


CONCLUSION. 


Em  ill's  unreasoning  acerbity — Treatment  of  women  on  the  march — 
Major  Wissmann's  letter — Eraiii's  curiou<;  forgetfuluess — Eiuiu's 
attack  upon  Stanley — Acciilent  to  Eiiiiu — Treatment  of  refugees 
at  Zanzibar — Farewell  to  Emiu — A  cui  ious  combination. 

The  preceding  chapters  of  this  book  were  all 
written  before  the  end  of  March,  1890  ;  that  is 
before  Emin  had  taken  up  the  unexpectedly  hostile 
tone  he  has  subsequently  adopted  towards  the 
Expedition  which  was  sent  out  to  rescue  him.  I 
have  endeavoured  to  write  without  mentioning 
several  things  in  Emin's  character  which  I  did  not 
think  necessary  to  make  the  story  intelligible.  But 
the  unexpected  manner  of  my  parting  with  Emin, 
with  whom  I  had  been  intimate  for  many  months  as 
a  guest  and  fellow-prisoner  in  his  Province,  and  his 
recent  utterances,  call  for  a  few  parting  words 
from  me.  And  though  many  may  perhaps  think  that 
these  words  should  be  uttered  with  their  due  weight  of 
severity,  yet  I  shall  endeavour  to  strictly  adhere  to 
the  sympathetic  and  friendly  tone  I  have  hitherto 
adopted  when  speaking  of  him. 

My  personal  duty  to  the  Pasha  terminated  when  he 
himself  had  appeared  at  Kavalli's.  From  thence  to 
the  East  Coast  of  Africa  I  had  little  or  nothing  to  do 
with  him,  except  maintaining  those  social  relations 
which  were  due  to  him  from  me  as  his  former  guest 
and  fellow  traveller.    Scarcely  a  day  passed  but  we 


462 


Emin  Pasha. 


met  and  exchanged  kindly  greetings,  and  often  when 
work  was  over  I  proceeded  to  his  quarters  in  the  camp 
to  enjoy  an  afternoon  chat.  I  was  a  silent  witness  of 
what  transpired  at  the  Kavalli  camp,  but  all  those 
incidents  have  been  sufficiently  described  by  Mr. 
Stanley,  and  I  was  grieved  to  find  that  the  idol  of  my 
imagination  was  not  quite  equal  to  my  cherished 
expectations.  We  had  fancied  that  once  free  from  the 
onerous  responsibilities  of  his  position  he  would 
show  himself  in  a  more  favourable  light;  that  while 
not  forgetting  his  rank  and  dignity,  he  would  avail 
himself  of  the  opportunity  to  show  the  more  amiable 
side  of  his  character.  He  would  have  a  chance  to 
shine  as  a  conversationalist,  to  devote  himself  to  col- 
lecting bird  and  insect  specimens,  register  his  meteor- 
ological observations,  dispense  medicines  to  the 
refugees  who  were  about  to  return  with  him,  and  act 
as  a  father  to  the  many  orphan  children  that  accom- 
panied him  from  the  Province,  besides  proving  an 
agreeable  companion  to  those  whose  sole  thought 
was  how  to  be  serviceable  to  him. 

Could  he  have  but  remembered  that  he  had  also 
duties  to  perform  to  his  people  as  their  Governor  and 
their  protector  ;  to  his  own  reputation,  as  one  who 
could  still  show — however  critical  some  might  be  dis- 
posed to  be — much  that  deserved  recognition  ;  to  us  of 
the  Expedition,  a  little  gratitude  ;  I  would  not  have 
added  another  word.  But  the  Pasha,  instead  of 
doing  the  least  of  these,  contented  himself  with  col- 
lecting birds  and  insects,  diligently  noting  his  observa- 
tions on  the  temperature  and  writing  his  journals. 
His  sick  people  were  placed  under  the  care  of  Dr. 
Parke,  and  I  can  remember  no  instance  when  he  was 
otherwise  than  apparently  mdiiferent  to  the  fate  of 


Emin  s  tmreasoning  Acerbity. 


463 


any  of  the  women  or  children.  He  kept  himself 
mostly  indoors,  as  though  he  indulged  in  resent- 
ment asrainst  some  one,  or  suffered  from  a  settled 
melancholy.  With  his  friend  Casati  he  often  affected 
to  be  strangely  distant ;  and  he  was  also  frequently  in- 
clined to  be  reserved  with  members  of  the  Expedition, 
thouofh  I  never  could  understand  the  reason.  He 
arrived  at  our  camp  loud  in  praise  of  Vita  Hassan,, 
the  apothecarv,  but  in  a  few  weeks  their  relations 
were  strained,  and  then  broken  off  altogether.  At 
first  he  could  find  no  words  to  describe  his  high 
opinion  of  Shukri  Aga,  to  whom  he  had  given  a 
Captain's  commission,  and  of  whom  he  often  spoke 
in  admiring  terms  ;  but  in  time  Shukri  Aga  was  left 
severely  alone,  and  he  never  omitted  to  put  in  a  word 
of  disparagement  if  any  of  us  happened  to  mention 
that  he  was  exceptionally  faithful.  We  were  made 
aware  also  that  this  system  of  dispraise  was  pursued 
in  each  of  our  own  cases.  There  was  no  person  of  any 
importance  in  the  camp  but  had  the  misfortune  to 
fall  under  his  unreasonable  displeasure. 

However,  we  thought  that  when  once  we  were  on  the 
move,  this  jealous  temper  would  improve.  And  we 
were  glad  to  see  that  it  did  in  a  day  or  two  ;  but  Mr. 
Stanley's  dangerous  illness  at  Mazamboni's,  and  the 
long  stay  caused  by  it,  revived  the  unpleasantness  in 
a  worse  form  than  ever.  For  a  time  it  became  so 
marked  that  he  was  altogether  changed ;  nobody 
pleased  him.  The  slightest  thing  provoked  him  to 
make  remarks  that  were  to  say  the  least  ungenerous. 
Lieutenant  Stairs,  who  acted  as  the  executive  of  the 
Camp  during  our  chief's  illness,  came  in  for  a  fair 
share  of  the  Pasha's  unreasoning  acerbity,  and  the 
next  day  it  was  somebody  else,  and  so  it  went  round. 


464 


Emin  Pasha. 


During  all  the  time  that  we  were  at  Mazamboni's 
he  never  even  spoke  to  Casati. 

We  started  again,  and  in  a  few  days  things  were 
better.  As  we  drew  nearer  Usongora,  it  was  proposed 
to  the  Pasha  that  all  the  young  and  able-bodied 
men  of  the  refugees  should  be  formed  into  a  com- 
pany, on  reaching  the  grass  land,  to  assist  in  the 
common  defence.  To  this  the  Pasha  readily  con- 
sented, and  he  expressed  his  opinion  frankly  that  it 
would  be  a  wise  and  proper  precaution. 

On  reaching  the  open  country,  the  names  of  all 
men  available  for  the  service  were  taken,  and  they 
were  enrolled  into  a  company,  and  Shukri  Aga,  as 
the  fittest  officer,  was  appointed  captain.  Rifles  and 
ammunition  were  then  served  out,  and  a  new 
company,  well  armed  and  equipped,  had  been  added 
to  the  Expedition  for  the  common  good.  But  with- 
out a  word  of  warning  that  anything  out  of  the  way, 
or  that  any  slight  had  been  put  on  him,  the  Pasha 
came  in  an  excited  state  to  demand  that  his  people 
should  be  restored  to  him.  He  had  no  orderlies,  and 
insisted  on  having  them;  he  ha.d  no  guards,  and  he 
would  have  them  ;  he  resolved  that  he  should  have 
four  guards  in  front,  and  four  in  rear,  two  to  attend 
to  his  daug-hter,  besides  two  orderlies  and  servants 
for  his  tent,  and  then  cried  out  to  Mr.  Stanley,  "  I 
am  sorry  that  I  ever  agreed  to  go  with  you."  "U'e 
could  not  help  thinking  that  this  was  most  in- 
temperate language  and  utterh'-  uncalled  for,  because 
the  position  of  himself  and  family  on  the  march  was 
always  in  rear  of  No.  1  company,  and  three 
companies  immediately  followed  his  family ;  while 
another  company  acted  as  rear-guard  of  the  column. 


Treatment  of  Women  on  the  march. 


465 


Besides  this,  two  of  the  most  respectable  Zanzibari 
chiefs  had  the  honour  of  conveying  his  daughter  in  a 
hammock,  and  several  armed  porters  had  been  de- 
tailed to  help  his  servants  to  carry  his  luggage.  The 
country  we  were  now  about  to  enter  we  expected 
would  prove  hostile,  as  it  swarmed  with  Kabba- 
regga's  bandits,  and  any  moment  an  attack  might  be 
made  on  us  In  such  an  event  it  was  natural  to 
expect  that  the  able-bodied  of  the  refugees  would 
assist  in  their  own  defence,  since  we  had  so  many 
rifles  and  so  much  ammunition  to  serve  out.  AYe 
were  glad  to  hear  the  Pasha  apologize  for  the  warmth 
of  his  manner  the  next  day. 

I  grieve  to  say  that  we  sav\^  many  things  on  the 
road  between  the  Albert  and  the  Victoria  Lakes,  that 
we  should  have  preferred  not  to  have  seen.  We  were 
really  distressed  to  see  the  laden  porters  belonging  to 
the  refugees  so  cruelly  treated  by  the  lazy  Egyptians 
and  Soudanese.  AVe  could  not  help  being  witnesses 
to  many  atrocious  acts.  Then  the  callousness  with 
which  the  women  of  the  party  were  treated,  shocked, 
and  angered  us  greatly,  so  that  frequently  I  and 
the  other  officers  were  compelled  to  interfere.  Poor 
women,  young  girls  from  twelve  or  thirteen,  with 
ulcered  limbs,  heated  with  fever,  and  footsore,  would 
be  seen  miles  away  from  the  column,  loaded  down 
with  sheer  rubbish,  that  neither  had  value  nor  use  for 
anyone.  A  word  from  the  Pasha,  backed  sternly  by 
our  force,  would  have  relieved  these  poor  creatures  of 
the  agony  they  endured,  and  would  have  saved  many 
lives.  But  the  Pasha  never  could,  or  would,  give 
such  an  order,  and  unless  we  desired  a  rupture  with 
him,  it  was  unwise  for  us  to  interfere  openly  ;  though 

H  h 


466 


Evtin  Pasha. 


scarcely  a  day  passed  but  one  of  us  attempted  to 
hint  to  him  that  it  would  be  advisable  for  him  to 
exercise  his  authority.  Many  a  time,  however,  we 
took  it  upon  ourselves  to  toss  the  rubbish  from  the 
bearer's  head,  as  we  saw  the  poor  thing  about  to 
yield  under  the  weight.  Had  the  Pasha,  however, 
insisted  at  an  early  period  that,  every  superfluous 
article,  however  valuable  or  ornamental  it  was, 
should  be  discarded,  I  feel  sure  that  our  chief  and 
my  fellow  officers  would  have  considered  it  as  the 
most  humane  act  possible,  and  I  do  not  think  I  am 
exaggerating  when  I  say  that  we  should  have 
arrived  at  the  coast  with  a  hundred  more  refugees. 

Excepting  these  unsightly  incidents,  which  hap- 
pened too  often  for  our  peace  of  mind,  I  know  of 
nothing  unpleasant  between  the  Pasha  and  any  of 
our  party,  from  the  Equator  to  the  coast.  At  the 
end  of  every  day's  march  we  exchanged  visits,  and 
frequently  gifts  of  prepared  food,  and  ail  was 
pleasant  and  amiable  as  between  friends.  He  may 
have  nourished  many  resentful  thoughts,  as  I  think 
his  peculiar  disposition  was  most  prone  to  do,  but 
at  least  I  can  say  that  they  never  found  expression, 
otherwise  we  should  have  heard  of  them.  I  am  now 
inclined  to  think  from  what  I  hear  Pere  Shvntz  has 
Avritten,  that  he  must  have  confided  some  of  these 
fanciful  grievances  to  him,  but  what  remedy  could  be 
applied  to  them,  when  all  of  us  were  ignorant  of 
their  existence  ?  Speaking  for  myself,  I  am  utterly 
unaware  of  any  offence  having  been  given,  and  at 
Mackay's  table  he  publicly  acknowledged  that  every- 
thing had  been  done  for  him  that  the  best  of  friends 
coulu  have  suggesteu,  or  that  he  could  have  wished. 


Major  Wissmann' s  Letter.  467 


While  we  were  in  Ugogo,  he  received  a  letter  from 
Major  Wissmann  which  he  showed  to  one  of  us.  There 
was  a  sentence  in  it  that  was  very  significant.  It 
said  :  "  It  is  true  that  the  English  have  sent  vou  a 
relief  Expedition  to  bring  you  out,  but  I  hope  you 
will  believe  that  your  countrymen  would  have  been 
just  as  ready  to  do  what  the  English  have  done. 
I  hope  that  when  you  reach  Bagamoyo  you  will  allow 
us  to  oiJer  you  the  hospitality  which  you  deserve,  and 
remember  that  whatever  the  English  have  done  for 
you,  we,  the  Germans,  are  your  countrymen." 

One  of  my  fellow-officers,  upon  hearing  the 
contents  of  the  letter,  ventured  upon  the  following 
bold  expression,  which  has  since  turned  out  to  be  a 
true  prediction.  "  I  can  see  what  Wissman  intends 
to  do;  he  intends  to  get  hold  of  the  Pasha  for  the 
German  company.  All  I  can  say  is,  that  from  what 
we  have  seen  of  Emin  during  the  last  few  months,  it 
is  the  best  thing  which  could  possibly  happen  for  the 
English  company^  for  the  Pasha  is  bound  to  make  a 
mess  of  any  thing  he  puts  his  hand  to." 

I  was  inclined  to  be  of  the  same  opinion,  and  yet 
I  was  fain  to  believe  from  what  I  thought  I  knew  of 
Emin's  kind  and  considerate  heart,  that  he  never 
would  be  capable  of  taking  up  the  posif  ion  he  has 
of  late. 

That  Emin  should  have  preferred  to  take  service 
with  his  countrymen  is  not  unnatural,  even  though  he 
had  frequently  said  that  his  one  wish  was  to  take 
service  with  the  English,  to  whom  he  had  appealed 
for  assistance,  and  who  (he  was  pleased  to  say)  had 
answered  his  appeal  so  generously.  It  must  be 
remembered,  too,  that  before  the  Expedition  for  his 

H  h  2 


468 


Emin  Pasha. 


relief  had  been  thought  of,  Emin  had  written  to  his 
friends  in  England,  saying  that  the  Egyptian  govern- 
ment he  knew  was  too  weak  to  rescue  him  ;  that  his 
own  countrymen  were  indifferent  to  him  ;  but  that 
he  looked  to  England  to  be  true  to  her  humanitarian 
traditions  and  help  him  in  his  need. 

We  reached  the  coast,  and  among  the  many  con- 
gratulatory telegrams  Emin  received  on  his  arrival 
at  Bagamoyo,  was  one  from  a  well-known  philan- 
thropic English  lady,  who  had  subscribed  largely  to 
the  relief  fund,  offering  him  a  home  for  himself  and 
his  daughter  for  as  long  a  period  as  was  convenient 
to  him.  He  answered  briefly  that  he  would  write, 
but  from  that  day  to  this  she  has  heard  no  more  of 
him. 

It  has  often  struck  me  that  Emin  suffered  from  a 
singular  defect  of  memory.  Most  of  us  could  furnish 
many  instances  of  this  curious  malady.  The  book 
lately  published,  called  "  Emin  Pasha  in  Central 
Africa,"  reminds  me  of  several.  It  will  be  found 
that  he  has  long  been  in  the  habit  of  writing,  "  I 
purpose  to-morrow  to  do  this,  or  I  am  going  shortly 
to  travel  to  such  and  such  a  place,  or  I  am  going 
next  week  to,  or  I  hope  to  visit  within  a  few  days 
chief  so  a-nd  so  ;  "  but  it  is  a  certain  fact  that  Emin 
almost  invariably  forgot  to  do  what  he  thought  of,  or 
proposed  doing.  He  proposed  to  visit  the  south  end 
of  the  lake  to  search  for  our  Expedition  ;  he  proposed 
to  take  service  vnth  the  English ;  he  proposed  to 
furnish  us  with  his  meteorological  observations  at 
Kavalli's,  for  which  he  obtained  his  instruments  ;  he 
proposed  with  great  emotion,  to  present  each  officer 
of  the  Expedition,  on  parting,  with  a  small  souvenir  ; 


Emilias  curious  forget  fulness. 


469 


he  proposed,  to  read  a  paper  before  the  Royal  Geo- 
graphical Society,  and  to  present  himself  before  the 
Emin  Committee  of  Relief  to  express  his  gratitude  ; 
and  a  hundred  other  things,  but  owing  to  his  habit 
of  forgetfulness  he  has  failed  to  carry  into  effect  any 
one  proposition. 

I  was  first  made  aware  of  this  curious  malady  by 
the  following  grotesque  instance,  which  at  the  time 
affected  me  uncomfortably. 

On  the  morning  after  our  first  meeting  at  M'swa, 
I  was  admiring  a  chair  on  which  I  was  seated,  and 
said  that  I  thought  it  was  a  most  comfortable  one, 
upon  which  Emin  remarked,  "  Yes  it  is  a  very  good 
chair.  I  am  indebted  to  Gordon  Pasha  for  it.  He 
gave  it  to  me  with  many  kind  words  at  Khartoum, 
the  last  time  I  parted  from  him."  But  in  the  after- 
noon while  he  was  talking  to  me  about  Gessi  Pasha, 
he  said,  "  And  before  he  went  down  the  Nile  for 
home,  he  presented  me  with  many  things  which  he 
did  not  care  to  take  with  him,  and  among  them  was 
that  very  chair  on  which  you  are  sitting."  As  the 
chair  had  become  an  object  of  considerable  interest 
to  me,  since  it  had  been  associated  with  the  name  of 
Gordon,  I  was  greatly  taken  aback  at  this,  and  won- 
dered for  some  time  what  could  be  the  meaning  of 
this  singular  incorrectness.  However,  after  a  bit,  I 
put  it  do'^Ti  to  forgetfulness.  This  is  only  one  small 
instance  of  the  many  examples  we  have  had  of  this 
strange  habit  of  Emin.  I  prefer  to  call  it  forget- 
fulness. 

Here  is  another  example  in  the  shape  of  a  para- 
graph which  appeared  in  the  Vail  Mall  Gazette  of 
August  22nd,  1890  :— 


470 


Emin  Pasha. 


"  A  Feesh  Attack  on  Stanley  by  Emin  Pasha. 

"Details  of  Negotiations  with  Wissmann. 

"  Writing  from  Mpwapwa,  in  June  last,  to  a 
friend  in  Germany,  Emin  Pasha,  giving  an  account 
of  the  circumstances  which  accompanied  his  retire- 
ment from  the  Egyptian  and  his  entrance  into  the 
German  service  in  Africa,  makes  a  fresh  attack  on 
Mr.  Stanley.  The  Berlin  correspondent  of  the 
Standard  sends  the  following  translation  of  Emin's 
letter  : — 

"  '  On  the  day  after  my  unlucky  fall,  Stanlej' 
made  my  people  embark  under  a  threat  that  other- 
wise he  would  lay  them  in  chains,  and  he  caused 
them  to  be  taken  to  Mombasa,  via  Zanzibar, 
without  allowing  them  to  communicate  with  me  in 
any  way.  An  Egyptian  steamer  I  had  asked  for 
arrived,  but  got  its  orders  from  Stanley,  and  took 
my  people  to  Suez  without  my  being  permitted  to 
see  one  of  them  again.  I  myself  received  letters 
and  messages  which  I  can  only  call  inappropriate. 
I  lay  suffering  from  a  fracture  of  the  skull,  and 
could  not  write.  During  my  stay  in  the  hospital, 
Wissman  showed  himself  my  friend  in  the  most 
magnanimous  manner.  You  know  that  we  were 
all  penniless  when  we  reached  the  coast.  The 
Egyptian  Government  has  never  asked  whether  I 
needed  anything,  or  troubled  itself  about  me,  except 
some  amiable  inquiries  of  the  Khedive  as  to  my 
health,  for  which  I  am,  of  course,  bound  to  feel 
very  grateful  to  him  personally,  the  answers  to 
which,  however,  cost  much  money,  and  I  had  none. 

"  '  When  I  was  staying  with  Mackay  I  had  bought 


EmitCs  attack  tipon  Stanley. 


4/1 


a  riding  ass  with  saddle,  a  suit  of  livery,  a  shirt, 
and  boots  from  the  French  missionaries  at  Bukumbi, 
and  had  given  them  a  cheque  on  the  English 
Consulate-General,  trusting  to  the  fact  that  Xubar 
Pasha  and  Sir  John  Kirk  had  written  to  me  officially 
that  I  was  to  draw  bills  on  the  latter  for  all  my 
wants.  At  the  Consulate-General  the  payment,  one 
hundred  and  fifty-seven  dollars  was  declined.  [Here 
the  Kolnisclie  Zeitung,  which  prints  this  letter,  adds 
the  insolent  footnote,  '  Emin  overrates  the  durability 
of  English  agreements.']  You  can  imagine  what  a 
mood  I  was  in — anxieties  about  my  own  future, 
anxieties  for  the  preservation  of  my  people,  illness, 
the  indifference  of  Egypt,  Stanley's  invectives  while 
I  was  still  Wing  ill  in  the  hospital.  In  the  course  of 
conversation,  Wissmann  had  asked  me  whether  I 
would  work  in  future  for  the  English,  and  when  I 
told  him  that  I  should,  of  course,  prefer  to  work  for 
ray  Fatherland,  he  asked  my  leave  to  report  the 
fact  to  his  Majesty.  I  vnllingly  allowed  him  to  do 
so. 

"  '  In  repeated  subsequent  conversations  the 
theme  of  an  expedition  to  be  sent  to  the  interior  was 
discussed,  and  when  Wissmann  complained  that  he 
had  nobody  for  it,  I  offered  myself.  His  Majesty 
had  done  me  honour,  and  here  was  an  opportuoity 
to  show  myself  grateful.  I  had  then  left  the  hos- 
pital, and  gone  to  live  in  a  house  at  Bagamoyo. 
Wissmann  telegraphed,  and  permission  came  for  the 
expedition,  and  to  Wissmann's  new  telegrams  the 
answer  was  to  the  effect  that  there  w  as  no  objection 
to  my  being  entrusted  with  the  conclusion  of  treaties 
with  the  chiefs  between  the  Victoria  and  Tanganyika 


472 


Emin  Pasha 


Lakes,  or  to  my  being  employed  as  a  commissioner 
ancler  the  proviso  of  my  future  dej&nitive  appoint- 
ment. In  the  month  of  April  I  left  Bagamoyo. 
Whether  I  shall  return  safe  and  sound  this  time 
appears  to  me  more  than  doubtful.  "Well,  God's  will 
be  done.'  " 

Here  also  is  another  paragraph  I  read  in  the  Times 
of  August  26th,  1890  :— 

"  Herr  von  Hoffmann,  ex-Minister,  proposed  '  The 
Emperor,'  who,  he  said,  had  personally  taken  the 
keenest  interest  in  Dr.  Peters's  expedition,  and  he 
elicited  no  slight  cheering  by  referring  to  the  '  forcible 
abduction  '  of  Emin  Pasha  by  Mr.  Stanley." 

I  would  fain  believe  that  both  these  paragraphs 
are  due  to  Emin's  forgetfulness,  still,  I  think  that 
they  call  for  some  answer. 

That  answer,  will,  I  think,  be  most  satisfactorily 
given  by  my  relating  as  simply  as  I  can,  how  we 
reached  Bagamoyo  and  the  manner  of  our  parting 
with  Emin  ;  for,  strangely  enough,  I  was  the  last  of 
the  Expedition  to  part  with  Emin  at  Bagamoyo,  as 
well  as  having-  had  the  honour  of  beinor  the  first  to 
meet  him  in  the  Equatorial  Province. 

I  shall  never  forget  our  feelings  of  triumph  and 
satisfaction  when  the  Expedition  marched  into 
Bagamoyo.  The  faces  of  our  weary  Zanzibaris 
lighted  up  with  joj-  and  thankfulness  as  they  saw  the 
ocean  lying  at  their  feet,  and  once  more  hefa*d  the 
well-known  sound  of  its  waves. 

The  German  military  band  played  "  God  save  the 
Queen,"  and  to  the  glorious  tune  of  our  National 
Anthem  we  marched  into  the  German  settlement. 

Here  we  saw  Emin  safe  and  happy  among  his 


Accident  to  Emin. 


473 


countrymen  ;  our  long  work  was  finished,  and  we 
felt  with  a  sigh  of  relief  that  at  last  we  might  relax 
and  rest. 

Most  of  the  Europeans  of  Zanzibar  and  the 
neisfhbourhood  had  assembled  to  do  Emin  honour, 
and  to  greet  him  with  cordiality — I  may  almost  say 
— with  reverence. 

At  the  dinner  which  Major  Wissmann  and  the 
German  officers  gave  in  honour  of  Emin,  the  utmost 
cordiality  existed  between  everyone.  And  when 
Emin  made  a  speech  in  the  kindest  and  most 
graceful  manner,  the  enthusiasm  of  all  was  in- 
tense. 

Emin  came  round  and  talked  with  each  of  us 
separately.  He  spoke  of  the  long  months  he  had  been 
shut  up  in  Central  Africa,  and  thanked  us  all  person- 
ally for  such  small  help  as  we  had  each  been  able  to 
give  him. 

He  told  us  how  he  had  never  again  expected  to 
see  such  a  scene  as  this,  surrounded  as  he  was  by 
people  each  vieing  with  the  other  to  do  him  honour. 
He  seemed  to  have  grown  younger,  and  to  be  trans- 
formed by  happiness  and  content. 

Suddenly,  in  the  midst  of  our  gaiety,  an  ominous 
whisper  reached  us  that  Emin  had  fallen  from  the 
window,  and  was  dead. 

We  hurried  out,  and  found  him  senseless  and 
bleeding  on  the  pavement  below.  He  was  carried  to 
the  hospital,  w^here  our  good  surgeon,  ever  ready 
when  needed,  attended  him  ;  while  we  retired  to  the 
houses  prepared  for  us,  to  brood  dejectedly  over  the 
sad  termination  of  our  happy  day. 

The  next  day  our  surgeon  gave  a  more  favourable 


474 


Emin  Pasha. 


report  of  Emin's  condition,  though  he  said  the  case 
was  most  serious. 

Large  bales  of  clothes,  gay-coloured  handkerchiefs 
and  cloths,  tabooshes,  boots,  and  cooking  utensils 
had  been  sent  over  from  Zanzibar  by  the  orders  of 
the  Relief  Committee  ;  sacks  and  baskets  of  bread, 
and  food  of  all  sorts,  had  also  arrived. 

These  we  distributed  among  the  refugees  who  had 
arrived  in  a  tattered  and  shabby  condition.  The 
camp  was  soon  transformed  into  a  gay  and  busy 
scene,  and  preparations  for  a  feast  were  begun  by 
the  servants  ;  while  their  mistresses  and  the  heads  of 
the  families  formed  themselves  into  groups  apart, 
and  with  fresh  satisfaction  they  compared  their 
new  clothes  and  talked  contentedly  of  their  marching 
days  over,  or  of  their  meeting  with  their  friends  in 
Egypt. 

The  German  and  English  navies  were  lying 
anchored  in  the  roads,  all  gaily  dressed  from  stem 
to  stern  with  flags  and  pendants.  They  had  arrived 
to  transport  us  in  triumph  to  Zanzibar.  It  had  been 
agreed  that  Emin  should  go  in  the  English  man-of- 
war  Turquoise^  which  should  lead  the  way,  followed 
by  the  German  man-of-war  Sperber,  with  Mr.  Stanley 
on  board.  The  other  vessels,  German  and  English, 
were  to  follow  with  our  officers  and  men,  and  to  sail 
in  a  long  triumphal  procession  to  Zanzibar. 

On  the  morning  of  the  6th,  however,  our  surgeon 
informed  Mr.  Stanley  that  Emin  could  not  be  moved 
for  many  days. 

It  was  impossible  for  the  ships  to  wait  for  so  long 
a  time,  especially  as  our  refugees  were  anxious  to  be 
on  their  way  to  Egypt ;  so  leaving  with  Emin  all  his 


Treatment  of  Refugees  at  Zanzibar.  475 


servants  and  orderlies,  we  embarked,  and  reached 
Zanzibar  the  same  afternoon.  Here  we  found  that 
General  Mathews,  the  head  of  the  Sultan's  troops, 
and  his  right-hand  man,  had  prepared  the  old  British 
Consulate  for  the  recepuion  of  the  refugees.  We  had 
assigned  to  each  family  comfortable  and  roomy 
quarters,  and  then  food,  which  the  general's  people 
had  ready  in  huge  cooking-pots,  was  served  out  to 
the  entire  force  of  refugees. 

Here  the  refugees  remained  for  six  days,  and 
became  strong  and  well  by  reason  of  the  good  food 
and  entire  rest. 

Soon,  however,  complaints  of  drunkenness  and 
rioting  on  the  part  of  the  refugees  came  to  the  ears 
of  the  Consul-General,  who  deemed  it  advisable  to 
transport  them  to  Mombassa.  Here  they  would  be 
far  removed  from  the  temptations  which  existed  in 
the  town  of  Zanzibar,  and  might  quietly  await  the 
arrival  of  the  Egyptian  steamer, for  which  Mr.  Stanley 
had  written  to  the  Egyptian  Government  when  we 
reached  the  Victoria  Lake. 

Whilst  we  were  in  Zanzibar  several  plans  were 
formed  by  the  Consul-General,  Mr.  Stanley,  and 
ourselves  for  visiting  Emin  at  Bagamoyo,  and  a 
vessel  was  actually  got  in  readiness  for  our  use. 
But  for  some  unaccountable  reason  we  were  always 
prevented  from  doing  so  by  some  fresh  report  of  a 
relapse  in  Emin's  condition. 

Our  good  surgeon.  Dr.  Parke,  while  nursing  Emin 
had  himself  been  stricken  down  by  a  malignant  fever, 
so  that  we  were  entirely  dependent  on  the  German 
doctors  for  news  of  Emin's  condition. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  Khedive's  steamer  Mansourah 


476 


Emin  Pasha. 


i 


at  Zanzibar,  the  captain  finding  that  Emin  was  still 
at  Bagamoyo,  reported  himself  to  the  Consul-General 
and  to  Mr.  Stanley.  The  steamer  was  then  sent  over 
to  Bagamoyo  with  Mr.  Stairs  on  board,  the  captain 
having  orders  to  report  himself  to  Emin  and  take 
his  orders.  Mr.  Stairs  visited  Emin  in  company 
with  the  captain  of  the  Mansoiirah,  and  remained 
with  him  some  hours.  Emin  expressed  himself 
anxious  to  leave  Bagamoyo,  but  said  he  was  afraid 
yet  awhile  to  attempt  to  move  from  the  hospital. 
The  steamer  then  proceeded  to  Mombassa,  and  the 
refugees  were  embarked  by  Mr.  Stairs,  and  the 
steamer  left  the  next  day  for  Suez. 

Before  leaving  Zanzibar,  Dr.  Parke,  who  was 
still  in  the  hospital,  urged  me  to  go  over  to  Baga- 
moyo and  try  to  persuade  Emin  to  accompany  us  to 
Egypt  in  the  mail  steamer  Katoria,  which  had  now 
arrived,  and  was  to  take  us  to  Suez  ;  for  he  said  a 
sea  voyage  would  be  Emin's  salvation. 

On  the  morning  of  December  28th,  I  went  over  to 
Bagamoyo  and  remained  with  Emin  till  the  next  day. 
He  seemed  delighted  to  see  me,  and  asked  why  we 
had  not  been  over  oftener  to  see  him,  for  he  said, 
"  You  know,  though  the  Germans  are  my  country- 
men, I  can  never  think  of  them  in  the  same  friendly 
way,  as  I  think  of  you,  of  the  Expedition  who  have 
rescued  me  and  who  have  been  through  such  dangers 
and  difficulties  with  me." 

I  told  him  that  several  times  we  had  proposed  to 
come  over  to  see  him,  but  that  we  were  either  told 
by  the  doctors  that  he  had  had  a  relapse,  and  that  it 
was  inadvisable  to  see  him,  or  that  there  were  no 
German  steamers  available. 


Farewell  to  EmtJi. 


Ml 


He  seemed  to  be  extremely  angry  when  he  heard 
this,  and  spoke  most  sharply  to  Captain  Rieklemann, 
the  commandant  of  Bagamoyo,  who  had  accompanied 
me  to  the  hospital. 

I  sat  long  with  Emin  that  day  and  talked  with 
him.  I  told  him  that  Parke  had  said  that  if  he 
could  be  carried  on  board  the  mail  steamer,  and 
accompany  us,  he  Avould  be  well  before  we  got  to 
Suez. 

Emin  shook  his  head  and  sadly  replied,  "  I  know 
it,  and  I  wish  I  could  go  with  you,  but  I  cannot." 

It  was  no  use  urging  him  after  that  ;  but  we  sat 
and  talked  of  the  experiences  we  had  passed  through 
together,  of  his  future,  and  that  of  the  little  Farida. 
Emin  seemed  overcome  by  a  profound  melancholy ; 
he  complained  of  the  noisy  position  of  the  hospital, 
surrounded  as  it  was  by  native  shops,  and  several 
other  things  which  annoyed  him,  he  repeated  how  he 
wished  he  was  going  with  us,  but  again  said  sadly 
that  he  could  not. 

He  asked  me  to  give  him  the  addresses  of  each  of 
my  fellow  officers,  for  he  said,  "  I  have  prepared  for 
each  some  little  souvenir  which  I  trust  you  T\all  all 
keep  as  a  remembrance  of  the  days  we  passed  through 
together." 

In  parting  he  held  my  hand  in  both  his,  and  told 
me  how  deeply  grateful  he  was  for  what  we  had 
done  for  him.  He  said,  "  You,  I  shall  never  forget, 
for  you  have  been  my  companion  and  friend  through 
those  months  of  our  imprisonment  together,  those 
months  which  were  the  worst  months  of  my  life." 

It  seemed  as  if  he  was  taking  a  long  good-bye, 
and  profoundly  touched  by  the  inexpressible  sadness 


478 


Emin  Pasha. 


of  his  tone,  I  once  more  urged  him  to  come  with  us. 
Again  he  shook  his  head  and  said  it  was  impossible,  so 
I  sadly  bade  him  good-bye  and  returned  to  Zanzibar. 

From  Zanzibar,  Aden,  and  Egypt,  I  have  written 
to  him,  but  from  that  day  to  this  I  have  had  no 
word  from  him. 

That  Emin  meant  all  that  he  said  to  me  about  the 
Expedition  during  those  last  few  hours  I  was  with 
him,  I  am  absolutely  certain.  His  simple  words  of 
friendship  and  touching  manner  were,  I  am  convinced, 
sincere.  But  a  will  stronger  than  his  own  must 
have  compelled  him  to  act  against  his  better  nature, 
or  he  never  could  have  taken  up  the  attitude  he  has 
against  us. 

His  natural  kindliness,  coupled  with  a  weakness  of 
character,  were  no  match  for  the  strong  will  which 
ever  seemed  urging  him  to  act  against  his  better 
nature,  leading  him  to  do  things  which  he  never 
would  have  done  if  left  to  himself.  Insinuations 
must  have  been  whispered  in  his  ears  ;  ungenerous 
motives  must  have  been  attributed  to  all  that  we 
did  ;  his  poor,  quick  sensibility  must  have  been  played 
upon  by  that  master  will,  until  Emin,  stung  to 
madness  by  the  taunts  and  inuendos  of  his  "  friends," 
took  that  fatal  step  which  has  hurled  him  down 
from  the  pedestal  of  sympathy  and  admiration  upon 
which  he  stood. 

On  reading  these  constant  ebullitions  of  spite 
on  Emin's  part,  I  sometimes  feel  a  certain  amount 
of  indignation,  but  it  quickly  develops  into  a  feeling 
of  pity. 

For,  from  my  long  and  close  intercourse  with 
Emin,  I  feel  sure,  when  he  thinks  of  the  events  of  the 


A  curious  Combination. 


last  two  and  a  half  years,  that  he  must  burn  with 
shame  and  resrret  for  the  ill-advised  course  he  has  of 
late  pursued. 

How  much  pain  and  unhappiness  for  himself 
might  Emin  have  prevented  had  he  acted  with 
the  same  simple  straightforwardness  he  invariably 
received  from  us.  I  ought  perhaps  to  conclude  this 
chapter  with  a  finely  rounded  moral,  but  I  am  not 
much  oriven  to  moralizing". 

I  have  merely  in  this  book  told  my  story  plainly, 
and  have  endeavoured  to  place  before  my  readers  a 
picture  of  Emin  Pasha. 

A  man  with  a  kindly  and  generous  mind,  phy- 
sically courageous,  but  morally  a  coward. 

A  clever  accomplished  gentleman,  enthusiastic  for 
the  science  of  natural  history,  but  not  of  that  firm 
temper  required  to  lead  men,  or  of  that  disposition  to 
attract  and  sway  them. 

A  man  whose  natural  kindness  of  heart  is  being 
constantly  spoilt  by  his  delicate  susceptibility  and 
childlike  vanity. 

A  man  whose  straightforward  European  direct- 
ness and  accuracy  has  been  warped  by  a  too  long 
residence  among  Orientals. 

And  yet  too,  if  you  appeal  to  his  generosity  he 
will  always  meet  you  more  than  half-way.  Emin 
would  always  be  to  a  certain  extent  subject  to  the 
influence  of  those  by  whom  he  was  surrounded. 

Here  I  leave  him,  with  a  feeling  of  sincere  affection 
for  him,  by  reason  of  his  many  kindnesses  to  me 
during  those  hard  timea  when  we  lived  intimately 
together;  when  there  seemed  no  hope  for  us,  and  uur 
only  comfort  was  our  mutual  sympathy. 


48o 


Ejnin  Pasha. 


But  I  cannot  do  otherwise  than  express  my  great 
surprise  and  regret  at  Emin's  extraordinary  conduct 
ever  since  his  unfortunate  accident  at  Bagamoyo, 
conduct  which  has  deeply  offended  many  sincere 
friends.  But  the  first  feeling  of  indignation  passed, 
I  only  feel  a  profound  pity  for  a  man  who  could 
sacrifice  all  feelings  of  gratitude  and  friendship  to  a 
causeless  resentment. 

Emin  can  dream  noble  things,  but  he  cannot 
act  them,  because  unfortunately,  he  is  nearly  always 
below  his  best  self. 

"Unless  above  himself  he  can 
Uplift  himself,  how  poor  a  thing  is  Man." 


rHE  END. 


INDEX. 


Abambola  Mountain,  372. 
Abderrahim,  Osman  Latif  s  son,  255, 
345. 

Abdul  Baiu  Aga.  329. 
Abdullah  (orderly),  17:3-4,  281-2. 
Abdullah  Aga  el  Apt,  lo4. 
Abdullah  Aga  Manzal,  chief  of  Muggi 

Station,  97-8, 110, 113, 1 1&-9, 122-4, 

266 ;  death  of,  286  ;  352. 
Abdullah  Vaab  Effendi,  195-9.  220; 

death  of,  286-7 ;  327. 
Abdul  Wahab  Effendi  (Lieut.),  41-2, 

233.  4V2. 
Abu  Soui  Bey  &  Mahdi,  249. 
Achmet  Aga  Dinkaue,  154,  163, 165, 

184,  202,  207,  208,  264,  335,  343-7. 
Aohmet  Aga  el  Assinti,  528. 
Achmet  Effendi  Mahmoud,  41-2,  103, 

163,3-33 

Achmet  Effendi  Eaif,  234,  313-4. 
Advance  s^teel  boat  2 ;   3-14,   185 ; 

broken  up,  320-1 ;  446,  447,  454. 
A-fi-fi,  see  Dwarfs. 
Africa,  trade  and  goods  in,  301. 
Agricultural  implements  of  Bari  tribe, 

132. 

Akka,  see  Dwarfs 

Albert  Lake,  arrival  at,  2  ;  and  steel 
boat,  3  ;  scenery  about,  8-9  ;  water 
of,  10 ;  rapid  falling  of,  40-1 ;  Sir 
S.  Baker  and,  116-7 ;  at  Tunguru, 
354, 442  ;  scenery  of  the  shores,  425, 
427  ;  Zanzibar  and,  449. 

Al-ed-Din  Pasha,  Mahdi  and,  249. 

Ali  Achmet  (Xyanza  S.S),  328. 

Ali  Aga  Djabor,  43,  102-3,  153,  172, 
175-6, 180,  183-4, 221,  235, 255, 260, 
275,  277,  286,  288,  327. 

Ali  Aga  el  Kourdi,  345,  347. 

Ali  Aga  Shamruk  of  Rejaf,  172,  174, 
255,  260. 

Amadi  Station,  305. 

Amadji,  Chief,  58. 


Anthropological  specimens,  Emin's, 

62-3. 

Antinori,  Marquis,  and  bastards,  119. 

Arab  dinner,  an,  86-7. 

Arabi's  rebellion,  43,69,  421;  and 

Abdullah  Vaab  Effendi,  195. 
Arif  Effendi,  (clerk),  149,  159,  446-7. 
Arms,  etc.,  musket  of  Kaba-regga's,  36 ; 

Bari  bows  and  arrows,  101-2, 120-1, 

317  ;  knives  of  Monbuttu,  70,  121 ; 

Dwarf  spears,  121,  bows  and  arrows, 

373  ;  spears  of  Dervishes,  244. 
Aruwimi  River,   Emio  and,   24-5 ; 

natives  of  upper,  302  ;  and  Advance 

boat,  320. 
Aveysheba  natives,  302. 
Award  Effendi,  338. 
Ayu  River,  90  ;  the  ford  of,  93, 156. 

Babadongo,  General,  434. 

Bachit    (Soudanese    orderly),  173; 

(sheik),  286. 
Bachit,  Mahmoud,  327. 
Bachit  Aga,  Chief  ot  Kirri  Station, 

99,  100,105;  Eminand,  108-10;  at 

Dufile,  172,  328,  341,  343-7,  352  ; 

wife,  447. 

Bagamoyo,  Emin  at,  468,  470,  471-6. 

Bahr-el-Ghazal  Province,  Gessi  and, 
196,  305 ;  and  Lupton,  361-2. 

Baker,  Sir  Samuel  (or  Mlidju),  and 
S.S.  Khedive,  28-9,  and  Lady 
Baker's  work  in  the  province,  65-6  ; 
and  Faratch  Aga,  6-5-6,  68-71  \ 
and  Dufile  Station,  81-3;  whale- 
boats,  etc.,  brought  by,  84 ;  and 
Taha  Mahomet,  116 ;  and  the 
Latooka  rain-maker,  143 ;  and 
northern  stations,  235 ;  303. 

Banalya,  rear  column  at,  390,  402. 

Bari  tribe;  and  hunting  of  croco- 
diles, 73-4,  209;  country  of,  96; 
women,  96-9 ;  villages  of,  98, 120-1, 
I  i 


482 


Index. 


123  ;  oroaments  of  women,  99-100  ; 
bows  and  arrows,  101-2  ;  manners, 
customs,  etc.,  125-144;  physique  of, 
125-6 ;  ornaments  of  men  and 
women,  126-7  ;  tattooing,  127-8  ; 
fines  for  offences.  128 ;  warfare 
and  weapons,  129-30;  hunting,  130  ; 
huts  and  villages,  130-2;  polygamy, 
132  ;  dogs,  cats,  and  cattle,  132-5  ; 
alimentation,  135-6;  tobacco,  etc.. 
136-7 ;  cookery,  137-8 ;  relations 
between  married  people,  238 ; 
ceremonies  about  child-birth, 
138-9  ;  marriage,  139-140  ;  diseases, 
140 ;  funeral  ceremonies,  140-1  ; 
superstitions,  140-2 ;  office  of  rain- 
maker, 142-4;  Chief  Befo,  261, 
266;  Emin  and,  285,  287;  girdles. 
317;  329. 

Baring,  Sir  E.,and  Emin's  relief,  399. 

Barttelot,  Major,  18,  31, 169,  390,  398, 
402-3. 

Basilli  Effendi,  338. 

Batwa,  or  Wattua,  see  Dwarfs. 

B^fo,  Chief,  260-1. 

Bellefonds,  Linant  de,  93. 

Beresford,  Lord,  and  the  Safia,  258. 

Bible,  Jephson  and  the,  386-7. 

Bidden  Station,  102;  rebel  officsr.s 
from,  165;  garrison  of,  260,  266, 
346. 

Bilinian  mountain,  261. 

Billal  Aga  Dinkaue,  letter  from, 
343-7,  445,  450. 

Binza,  servant  boy,  3.3,  50-1, 119,  121, 
147,  150,  and  Emin's  Soudanese, 
152,  307;  168,  174^5, 186  ;-and  wife, 
225-6  ;  and  Advance  boat,  320-1 ; 
description  of,  321-2  ;  394,  397,  405, 
422,  437,  443 ;  wife,  447. 

Birth,  an  extraordinary,  187-8. 

Boa,  242,  261. 

Boat-building  at  Dufile,  84. 

Boganza,  Chief,  11. 

Boki,  Chief,  55;   iind  wife,  55-6; 

village  of,  337,  363-4,  380 ;  death 

of,  382. 
Bombe  tribe,  272. 
Bongo  tribe,  52. 
Bonny,  Mr.,  390,  442. 
Bora  Station,  78,  290,  315-6,  336. 
Bordein,  steamer,  257-8. 
Boru  tribe,  52. 

Botany,  etc.,  Emin  and,  456 ;  fig-trees, 


23,  81,  385;  Palmyra  palms,  78, 
80;  borassus  palms,  216;  com, 
millet,  etc.,  at  M'swa,  22 ;  near 
Tunguru,  55 ;  at  Wadelai,  64 ;  at 
Dufile,  84—5 ;  cotton  at  M'swa, 
22- j;  at  Lahore  Station,  95; 
acacia,  30,  54, 55-6,  59,  61,  90 ;  and 
tamarind  trees,  30,  38 ;  tobacco, 
42->-6 ;  jasmine,  56-7  ;  lime  and 
orange  trees,  61  ;  red  dhurra  corn, 
etc.,  of  Bari  tribe,  135-6  ;  sesame, 
64 ;  banana,  425-6. 

British  Museum,  Emin  and  letter 
from,  34  ;  skulls  for,  62-3 ;  birds 
for  318,  448. 

Brown  ( .\lr.s.)  ou, "  CleopaMs  Needle,"^ 
222-3. 

"Bubarika,"  see  A.  J.  M.  Jephson. 
"  Bula  Matari,"  see  Stanley. 
Bumbireh,  Uledi  and,  7. 
Burgoot,  341 

Cameron's  travels,  222. 

Cannibalism  among  Dwarfs,  374. 

Canoe  accident  in  Nile,  278-9. 

Canoes  of  Bari  tribe,  130. 

Casati,  Captn.,and  Kaba-regga,  18-19. 
35  ;  meeting  with  Jephson,  24,  and 
Stanley,  29 ;  and  rebellion  in 
Emin's  Province,  44—5  ;  193-6, 
201,  202,  207-9,  215-6,  223-.5, 
227-9;  266,  276,  286,  307,  310-3, 
331,  338-9,  341,  355;  and  dwarfs. 
367,  371-2 ;  387,  394, 396, 400, 406-7, 
410,  446,  448,  451,  453  ;  Emin  and, 
463-4. 

Cascade.^,  into  Lake  Albert,  9-10. 
Cataracts  of  the  White  Nile,  77. 
Cattle,  12,  54,  123,  280;  of  Bari  tribe, 
133-5. 

Chinese,  Emin  and,  in  Africa,  302. 

Chor  Abdul  Aziz,  329. 

Chor-Ayn  Station,  90,  93,  101.  151, 

152-7 ;  315,  329. 
Chor  Itteen,  327. 

Christmas  Day  at  Tunguru,  355-6. 
Circassian  tinker  at  Dufile,  162. 
Claverhouse.      superstition  about 

bullets,  267-8. 
Cloth-making    at    M'swa  Station, 

22-3. 

Cock-crowing,  elephants  and,  92. 
Colobus  monkey,  387-8. 
Congo  Eiver,  Emin  and,  25. 


Index, 


483 


Cooking  of  the  Ban  tribe,  137-8.  T 
Copyright  Law,  Stanley  and,  Preface, 
ix. 

Council  of  rebel  officers.  173-180,  210- 
222, 224,  240,  364-5,  376-7,  379,  384, 
408-9. 

Crocodiles,  41 ;  in  the  Nile,  72-3,  78, 

130,  192,  209.  279,  337,  433;  and 

Bari  tribe,  73-1,  209. 
Customs;   wedding,   74;   grain  tax, 

123;  to  welcome  with  honour  79  ; 

greeting,  224,  427;  see  also  Bari 

tribe. 

Da>"ce  of  the  Lur  tribe,  a,  38-40, 
106  ;  of  Makraka  tribe,  106. 

Darwin,  and  African  dogs,  133. 

Dervishes,  the  Peacock,  242-5 ; 
questioned,  256-9  ;  torture  of,  262—4, 
269-71. 

Dgaden  Aga,  260. 

Dinka  tribe,  52,   96,  284;  clubs  of, 

129 ;  rebellion,  261. 
Diseases,   epidemics,  etc.,  of  Bari 

tribe,  140;  pneumonia  in  Wadelai, 

295-6. 

Dogs  of  Bari  tribe,  132-3. 

Domestic  animals  of  Bari  tribe,  132-3. 

Donagla,  at  Rejaf,  265 ;  bullets  of, 
267 ;  and  Du61e,  269  ;  272, 276, 286- 
7,  296-7,  303-7,  319,  327-31 ;  in 
Dufile,  332-6,  339-40,  353,  356,  378, 
406,  450 

Dongola,  51 ;  people  of,  199. 

Dowel  Beyt  Aga  from  Rejaf,  172, 
343-7. 

Dutile  Station,  ivoiy  at.  76 ;  start  for, 
.  77-8,  arrival  at,  79-80;  description 
of,  81-5 ;  plan  of,  82  ;  departure  from, 
90;  compared  to  Libore,  95;  sta- 
tions north  of,  100,  110  ;  news  from, 
1.52:  Emin  in,  190;  rebellion  at,  1 
154-7  ;  entry  into,  158-63,  205-8  ; 
people  of,  243 ;  defences  of,  259, 
261,  268-9,  261,  274-5,  290, 
294,  305-6,  315-6,  the  Donagla  in, 
332-6,  340;  fight  at.  343.  347-8, 352- 
3,  356 ;  evacuated,  362-4. 
Dwarfs,  bows  and  arrows  of,  102, 
373;  in  Monbnttu,  201,  367-74, 
names  of,  368-9  ;  settlements,  369  ; 
and  game,  371 ;  colour  and  measure- 
ment of,  374-5  ;  weapons  of,  373 ; 
cannibalism,  374-5. 


Dwellings,  between  Tnnguru  and 
Wadelai,  54-5 ;  houses  at  Dufile, 
80  ;  of  Bari  tribe,  120,  130-1 ;  in 
Uganda,  302. 

Effesdina,  see  the  Khedive. 

Egyptian  officers  and  clerks,  44-5,  69, 
85^6;  letters  to,  4.5-51;  decision 
of,  51-3  ;  175,  199-200,  209,  210, 
308 ;  and  dervishes,  263-4,  270-1 ; 
377,  418,  441,  465. 

Emin  Pasha  (or  Mlidju),  and  Mr. 
Jephson,  Preface,  xi.  to  xiv.  ;  and 
Mr.  Stanley,  vi.  to  ix. ;  first  com- 
munication from,  2,  5  ;  and  Chief 
Vaju,  7-8  ;  and  Chief  Mogo,  11-13 ; 
at  Tunguru,  14;  Mr.  Holmwood 
and,  17-18,  27  ;  and  rescue  of 
Captain  Casati,  19 :  letter  from, 
20-1 ;  meeting  with  Jephson,  23-7  ; 
note-book,  26  ;  and  the  Eehef  Ex- 
pedition, 26-7  ;  steamers,  28-9  ; 
meeting  with  Stanley,  29-30 ; 
and  entomology,  34 ;  attack  on 
Kibero,  35-7 ;  and  Chief  Ouma, 
37-8 ;  and  the  smell  of  different 
tribes,  40 ;  and  Tunguru  Station, 

40-  1 ;   and  two  Egyptian  clerks, 

41-  2 ;  and  the  1st  Battalion  at 
Eejair,  43-5,  66  ;  letters  to,  4.5-51 ; 
and  Nubar  Pasha,  53 ;  depart  for 
Wadelai,  63-9 ;  and  Boki's  wife, 
55-6 ;  headquarters,  60-1 ;  daughter, 

61  ;   meteorological  observations, 

62  ;  anthropological  specimens, 
62-3 ;  and  the  Galla  tribe,  63 ;  and 
fever,  65  ;  illness  of,  67  ;  European 
opinion  of,  70 ;  and  deputation 
from  Rejaf,  70-2,  74-6;  105-10; 
and  crocodiles  in  the  Nile,  73 ;  ivory, 
76;  and  Dufile  Station,  79-80; 
andHawashiEffendi,  85-9,222,254; 
and  elephants,  91-2 ;  and  geese, 
etc.,  92 ;  and  Khamis  Aga,  93 ;  at 
Kirri.  100  ;  and  Hamad  Aga,  lOO-l, 
106-7 ;  and  Ali  Aga  Dgabor,  102-3 ; 
and  IBachit  Aga,  108 ;  and  his 
story,  111-13  ;  and  Rejaf  soldiers, 
114-6,  118 ;  and  Taha  Mahomet, 
116-8 ;  orderlies,  121  ;  at  Muggi 
Station,  122-4 ;  and  Bari  tribe, 
125  ;  and  the  Latooka  rain-maker, 
143 ;  at  Lahore  Station,  145-52 ; 
orderly,  154,  155-6 ;  position  at 


I  1  2 


4 


484 


Dutile,  160-3  ;  imprisonment  at, 
162-90;  letter  to  Stanley,  170-1; 
rebel  council  and.  180-3,  212-16; 
treachery  of  Emin's  people, 
189,  203;   at  Dufile,  207;  books, 

222-  3;  orderlies,  226;  and  rebel 
oflScers,  227,  230-2 ;  and  Osman 
Latif,  233-4 ;  Omar  Saleh's  letter 
to,  245— j6  ;  to  be  reinstated,  275-6; 
and  his  soldiers,  283-5,  303;  re- 
leased, 288-90 ;  at  Wadelai, 
292-300  ;  boxes.  299 ;  soldiers  and, 
807-14,  334 ;  flight  from  Wadelai, 
318;  letters  to,  340;  Drs.  Felkin 
and  Junker,  341-3 ;  and  birds, 
353-4,  367 ;  and  Jephson  on 
Christrras  Day,  355-6;  and  Lupton 
Bey,  358-62 ;  and  dwarfs,  367,  372, 
393-7 ;  letter  to  Stanley,  406,  409  ; 
good-bye  to,  410;  J  ephson's  letter 
to,  417-20 ;  Stanley's  letter  to, 
388,  400-2,  404,  443  ;  letter  to,  444 ; 
from  446-8 ;  and  Jephson,  457,  459, 
461-80 ;  and  botany,  456. 

Entomology,  Emin  and,  34,  462 ; 
butterflie-,  57  ;  mosquitos,  etc.,  58, 
78,  134,  192,  3.52,  366,  383,  450; 
plague  of  flies  (ticks,  etc.),  280,  298, 
383  ;  fleas,  339. 

Equatorial  Province,  soldiers  of, 
14-15 ;  letters  to,  45-51  ;  Dr.  Fel- 
kin and,  25  ;  intriguers  at  Tungum, 
41-3;  1st  and  2nd  Battalions  at 
Eejaf,  43-5,  66-7,  100 ;  unfriendly 
small  tribes,  93;  oflScers,  &c ,  at 
Kirri,  103-5  ;  and  the  Mahdi,  153  ; 
rebelhon  in,  199-2C0 ;  books  of, 
212,  347  ;  corrupt  state  of,  236-9, 
240 ;  soldiers  of,  2-2-5,  349,  459-60. 

Ethnology  :  Zanzibaris  and  African 
dialects,  7-8 ;  dwarfs  of  Central 
Africa,  368,  372. 

Europeauizing  the  negroes,  299-302. 

Fabbo  Station,  154  ;  mutineers  from, 
161,  163-7  ;  264,  274,  315,  329,  335, 
336,  3-16-7,  364. 

Fadl  el  Mulla  Aga,  15'1^5  ;  and  Selim 
Aga,  156,  163-7  ;  letters  to,  168  ; 
and  Rejaf  rebel  officers,  172-3, 
175-85;  brother,  198-9.  207-8; 
and  rebel  council,  211-15,  218-21, 

223-  6,  229-34,  236,  243,  245,  254, 
269,  264,  266,274,  276, 280-1,  288-9, 


343;  letter  from,  343-7,  364,  385, 

409,  421. 
Farajala  (soldier),  280-1. 
Faratch  Aga,  Lady  Baker  and,  65-6 ; 

sent  to  Emin,  66-72,  74-6,  172,  249, 
:  255. 

Farida,   Emin's   daughter,  61,  187, 
204-5,  233,  318,  447,  449,  465,  477. 
;  Fatiko  Station,  235. 

Felkin,  Dr.,  Preface,  xii. ;  description 
of  Emin,  24;  and  province,  25, 
341-2. 

Fischer,  Dr.,  and  Emin's  relief,  49. 
Fishing,  Bari  tribe  and,  130. 
Forest  near  M'swa  Station,  40. 
Fort  Bodo,  2,  18,  32-3,  67-8,  87-8,  97, 

145,  259,  302,  316,  339,  389,  392. 
Funeral  ceremonies  of  Bari  tribe,  140 ; 

of  the  KiiTi  clerk,  209. 

Galla  Tribes,  63. 

Gebel  Wati  Mountain,  305-7,  336. 

Geology :  near  Kirri   Station,   98 ; 

near  DuBle  Station,  158-9. 
Germany,  and  the  negroes,  299-302  ; 

Emin  and,  476. 
Gessi  and  Dufile  Station,  81-3  ;  and 

Taha  Mahomet,  117;  and  Casati, 

196  ;  Emin  and,  469. 
Gladstone,  Mr.,  compared  to  Gordon, 

99. 

Gondar  and  Mahdi  forces,  250. 

Gordon,  Gen.,  and  .stations  at  North 
end  Lake  Albert,  40, 93, 235  ;  killed, 
49;  and  Dutile  Station,  79,  81-3; 
favourite  spot  at  Kirri  Station,  99  ; 
and  Taha  Mahomet,  117  ;  and  the 
grain  tax,  123  :  and  treachery,  189- 
190 ;  stations  in  Unyoro,  235,  249, 
250 ;  steamers,  257-8,  260 ;  and  his 
soldiers,  284 ;  and  Chinese  in  Africa, 
302-3 ;  and  Soudanese,  350  ;  and 
grain  tax,  382  ;  Emin  and,  469. 

Grain  tax,  the,  123,  379,  381-2. 

Granaries  of  Bari  tribe,  132. 

Graphics  at  Dufile,  223. 

Grass  tires,  385-6. 

Greeting,  mode  of,  424,  427. 

Grenfell,  Gen.,  and  Khedive's  letter, 
153. 

Gubat,  258. 

Hadji  Fatma,  204,  291-2. 

Hamad  Aga,  Major  of  1st  Battn.,  66, 


Index. 


485 


69-72,  74-6 ;  and  dinner  by  Hawashi 
EfEendi,  86-9;  Emin  and,  100-2; 
letter  from,  106-7 ;  letter  to,  153 ; 
at  Dufile.  172.  175,  198.  219-20, 
223-5,  227-9,  242,  260,  274,  315-6, 
347  ;  death  of,  286,  327. 

Haniid  Bey  Mahomet,  34rt-5. 

Hassan  Aga,  149. 

Hassan  Eifendi  Lutvi,  letter  from, 
272-3  ;  death  of  286,  327. 

Hawashi  Effendi  (of  Dufile  Station), 
81-9;  letters  from,  116,  152,  154-5, 
156;  a  prisoner,  164—7,  172-3,  177, 
212;  and  rebel  council,  216-22, 
226,  229,  232-4,  240,  254, 267, 273-4, 
280,  338,  34.3,  347,  406. 

Herodotus  and  Dwarfs,  368. 

Hicks  Pasha  and  tlie  Mahdi,  249. 

Holmwood,  Mr.,  Consul-Geueral  of 
Zanzibar,  and  Einin,  17,27. 

Huts  of  Bari  tribe,  131-2. 


Ibraiiim  Aga  (chief  of  the  irregulars), 

51,  198,  233. 
Ibrahim  Effendi  Elham,  266-7,  276, 

344-7. 

Id  el  Kebir,  Mohammedan  festival, 

152,  160. 
Imande,  307. 

Insects,  Ac. :  black  ants,  56 ;  mos- 
quitos,  58,  78,  134,  192,  353,  366, 
383,  450  ;  beetles,  62. 

Islands  in  River  Nile,  floating,  77-8. 

Ismail  Aga,  111,  113. 

Ismail  Pasha  and  Sir  Samuel  Baker, 
28-9. 

Ismailia  steamer,  257-8. 

Ituri   River,   194,   307,  356;  Ferry 

camp,  391,  394,  3!36,  442,  451. 
Ivory  stores,  Emin's,  75 ;   stores  at 

Wadelai,  203  ;  446,  447,  457. 

Jameson,  Mr.,  18,  390,  398,  403. 

Jephson,  A.  J.  M.,  or  "  Bubarika,"  and 
steel  boat,  3 ;  at  Kanama  village, 
6-8;  and  baboon,  11 ;  at  Magunga 
village,  11-13;  at  M'swa  Station. 
13-27;  clothes,  16,  26;  luggage,  17; 
letter  to  Mr.  Stanley,  20 ;  meeting 
with  Emin  and  Casati,  23-7  ;  and 
N'sabe  Camp,  30 ;  decision  to  ac- 
company Emin  to  his  Province,  30- 
3;   and  Cliief  Ouma,  37-8;  and 


I  fever,  40-1,  53.  65,  93,  180,  186-7, 
I  356, 383, 387 ;  and  intriguers  at  Tnn- 
1  guru.  41-3 ;  and  Stanley's  letter,  50; 
i  departure  for  Wadelai,  53-9  ;  and 
1      River  JS'ile,  57 ;  at  Wadelai,  60-5. 

75-6;  and  deputation  from  Rejaf 
I      Station,  66-72  ;   and  Hawashi  Ef- 
I      fendi,  85-9  ;  and  ornithology,  96  ;  at 
1      Kirri  and  Muggi  Stations,  S-'S-lll  ; 
I      chat  with  Emin,  111-3;  address  to 
'      Rejaf  soldiers,  114—5;  experiences 
!      at    Muggi    Station,   119-24  ;  at 
Lahore  Station,  145-52 ;  imprison- 
ment at  Dnfil^,  160-90;  letter  to 
Stanley,  170-1 ;  before  rebel  council, 
174.    176-80,    216  ;    start  from 
Wadelai,  182-6.  188;  at  Tunguru, 
192-202  ;  and  Hawashi  Effendi,  219, 
273-4;  at  Dufile,  2:3  ;  and  Osman 
Latif .  234 ;  and  Vita  Hassan,  237-8 ; 
and  Fadl  el  Mulla,  266 ;  and  defence 
of  Dufile,  268-9  ;  letter  to  Stanley, 
277-8;  and  Emin,  307-313,  341; 
flight  from  Wadelai,  317-9  ;  and 
journals,  322;  323-6,330;  and  Emin, 
259,  377-9 ;  and  Stanley's  letters, 
388-400, 404  ;  41 5-6 ;  letter  to  E  min, 
417-20;  and  Chief  Vuuja,  423-4, 
426,  431-3  ;  natives  and  looking- 
glass,  435-6,   4.37;   and  Stanley, 
j      443-6;   letter  from  Emin.  446-8; 
meetmg  with,    449,   452-5 ;  and 
Emin,  461-480. 
Junker,  Dr.,  and  the  Nepoko  River, 

24-5  ;  Emin  and  's  cigars,  25-6  ; 

and  servant-boy  Binza,  33 ;  and 
revolt  of  the  1st  Battalion,  44,  341, 
343;  and  Hawashi  Effendi,  219;  and 
Osman  Latif,  229  ;  and  Emin,  299, 
309.  ■ 

Kaba-regga,  King  of  Unyoro,  and 
Captain  Casati,  18-19,  35,  196, 453 ; 
and  our  letters,  27  ;  attack  on,  35- 
37 ;  and  Chief  Ouma,  37 ;  and 
natives,  55  ;  Boki  and  letter  for,  55 
-6;  168,  363-4,  380-1;  and  Boki, 
38-2-3  ;  420-1,  433-7,  465. 

Kabobs,  dish  of,  57. 

Kajalf,  Chief  Mogo's  son,  12-13. 

Kanama  village,  6-8,  430. 

Kandekori,  457. 

Katonza's,  412-3, 417, 431,  433-8, 450, 
454. 


486 


Index. 


Katoria,  S.S.,  476. 

Katto,  Kavalli's  brother,  5-6,  9. 

Kavalli,  Chief  and  village,  2  ;  brother, 
5-6;  and  Emin's  letter,  11 ;  194,302, 
339,  377-8,  387,  394,  397,  401,  418, 
434,  436,  438,  453-4,  457,  462. 

Kavirondo,  Stanley,  Erain,  and,  53. 

Keremallah,  the  Mahdi's  General, 
defeated,  70,  250  ;  Emin's  letter  to, 
255  ;  and  Emin,  334  ;  305  ;  Lupton 
and, 362 

Khamis  Aga  (chief  of  Chor  Ayu 
station),  93. 

Khartoum,  the  fall  of,  40,  43,  49,  164, 
235;  and  River  Nile,  77;  Govern- 
ment at,  107,  112  ;  Hawashi  EfEea- 
di  and,  116;  cats  from,  133-;  241; 
Governor- General  of,  247,  249; 
steamers,  256-8,  265 ;  artisans  in, 
258  ;  food  in,  273,  292,  334. 

Khedive,  Fadl  el  Mulla  and,  176 ;  and 
Arabi,  421 ;  and  Emin,  470. 

 's  letter,  the,  31,  45-7,  51; 

Stanley  and,  48-50;  and  Emin's 
soldiers,  52;  the  clerk  of  Tunguru 
and,  103 ;  read  at  Kirri  Station, 
103-5;  readatMuggi,  110;  read  to 
Rejaf  soldiers,  114—5  ;  copy  sent  to, 
153 ;  read  at  Lahore,  145-6,  177-8, 
214,  220-1,  392-3,  399. 

Khedive,  S.S.,  2-3,  28-9,  36, 170,  277, 
296,  298,  328,  385,  395,  4u6. 

Kibero,  18 ;  attack  on,  35-7 ;  Casati 
^and,  196. 

Kilyia  and  the  baboon,  10-11. 
Kirk,  Sir  J.,  and  Emin,  471. 
Kirri  Station,  88-90,  98-109,113, 165; 
'    death  of  clerk  of,  209 ;  260-1,  266, 
285,  346. 

KismuUah,  Emin's  collector,  159,161, 
230. 

Knees  of  Bari  tribe,  enlarged,  96-7. 

Kodi  Aga  (chief  of  Wadelai  Station), 
75;  and  Emin's  ivory,  76;  letter 
from,  169,  189,  191,  203,  280-1,  296, 
304,  309-10,  313,  316,  330,  338, 340, 
345. 

Kdlnische  Zeitung,  Emin's  letter  in, 
^470-2. 

Kyan  Kondo,  or  Katonza's  village, 
397-8,  401 ;  see  also  Katonza's. 


Labobj^  Station,  arrival  at,  93-5, 101 ; 


[     mutiny  at,  145-152 ;  156,  165,  260, 
266,  315,  327,  329,  .346. 
Lado  Station,  43,  235,  241-2,  261, 
360. 

Latooka,    soldiers   from,  65,  116-8, 

122,  242,  304,  360. 
Lenz,  Dr.,  and  Emin's  relief,  49 ;  and 

dwarfs,  368. 
Leontides,  Hansal  and  Nicola,  249. 
Linant  de  Bellefonds  killed,  93. 
Lip  ornaments,  58. 
Loko,  Chief,  260. 

Looking-glass,  natives  and  Jephson's, 
435-7. 

Lucas'  expedition,  Emin  and..  83. 

Lupton  Bey,  and  blocks  in  River 
Nile,  77-8 ;  and  the  Mahdi,  252  ; 
last  letters  of,  358—362. 

Lur  tribe,  chiefs  of.  11  (see  also 
Ouma)  ;  settlements  of,  21-2 ;  a 
dance,  38-40 ;  about  Wadelai  Sta- 
tion, 63-4 ;  faces  of,  126 ;  inter- 
preters, 191,315  ;  chiefs,  416,  421-2, 
427,  429,  438;  and  dwarfs,  374-5; 
444. 


Maboko's  village,  427-8. 

Mabruki,  death  of,  33. 

Mackay,  Mr.,  466,  470. 

Madi  tribe,  52,  96,  100,  274-5,  284; 
villages  of,  at  Dufile,  85  ;  faces  of, 
126  ;  carriers,  159  :  chiefs,  219  ;  in- 
terpreters, 262,  363. 

Magala,  Chief  and  villaga,  425-6,  443. 

Mas^unga  village,  11-13,  34,  425,  443, 
448. 

Magungu  Station,  40,  55,  235. 
Mahagi  Station,  40. 
Mahdi  (son  of  Abdullah),  the,  246- 
253. 

Mahdi's  forces,  the,   43,  48 ;  Emin 

and.  111,  118;  at  Boa,  152,  198. 

241-3;  battles  of,  246-253,  257-«, 

260-3  ;  see  also  Donagla. 
Mahmoud  Effendi  el  Adeini,  102-3, 

153. 

Mahomet  Achmet's  forces  ;  see  Do- 
nagla. 

>  Maho'met  Ali  steamer,  256. 
Mahomet  Effendi,  328. 
Makraka  Station,  43-4,  102, 153,  243, 

255,  256,  261,  266-7,  274,  284,  285, 

304,  305  ;  dvsrarfs  in,  367. 


Index. 


487 


Makraka  tribe,  52,  98 ;  dance  by,  106. 
Maiisonrah  steamer,  47&-6. 
Mnnvema,  or  Arabs,  304,  395,  408, 
441-2. 

Marco,  Greek  merchant,  61,  187-9, 
191,  •202-3.  322,  336,  338,  355,  387, 

446,  451,  453,  455. 

Masa,  Mogo's   brother,   416,  421-2, 

424.  427,  440,  444. 
Masai-land,  cattle  custom  of,  134. 
Mason  Bey  and  Dafile  IStation,  81-3. 
Matches,  Chief  Vunja  and,  423-4. 
Mathews,  General  475. 
Mazamboni,  394,  464. 

Melindwa,  Chief  Kajalf  and,  12-13 ; 
country  of,  412,  420-1,  427-9. 

Metemmeh,  battle  of,  2-58. 

Meteorology :  Emin  and,  62,  462 ; 
rain,  in  Central  Africa,  158-9  ;  186, 
192;  wind,  192,  354,  430;  extra- 
ordinary weather,  279-80. 

M'Galima,  Kmg  of  the  Dwarfs,  372. 

M'Gunda  Makali  wilderness,  386-7. 

Milan  Geographical  Society,  Gasati 
and,  196. 

Milking  custom  of  Ban  tribe,  134. 

Mlidju,  see  Emin  Pasha,  also  Sir 
Sanmel  Baker. 

Mogo,  Chief,  11 ;  son,  12,  13,  194, 
354-5,  384,  388,  397,  416,  421. 

Mohammedans,  pious,  154;  children, 
228 ;  funeral,  358-9. 

Molotes,  current  coin  of  Africa,  227. 

Mombassa,  475-6. 

Mombutlu,  land  and  tribe,  52 ;  knives, 

etc.,  of,  70,  317,  ivory  in.  76,  98; 

Casati  and,  196,  201,  304;  dwarfs 

in,  367,  369-72,  374. 
Moorajan,  Sheik  (Chief  Priest),  66, 

71,  74-6,  172,  175-6;  (orderly),  173, 

262,  281-2. 
Morn  tribe,  52. 

M'pinga,  chief  of  Gavira,  394. 

M'ruli  Station,  40,  235. 

M'swa  Station,  5 ;  Kajalf  and,  12  ; 
arrival  at,  13-14 ;  description  of, 
21-3,  63 ;  start  once  more  for,  34-5  ; 
departure  from,  40,  197  ;  clerk  of, 
201-2,277:  cattle  of,  280;  304,316, 
339,  377,  383,  388,  40-5-7,  411,  443, 

447,  451. 

 Mountains  round  Lake  Albert, 

425,  428. 

M'tama  beer,  see  Pomhe. 


Muggi  Station,  95-7,  101,  108,  109, 
113,  119-124,  165,  260,  266-7,  274- 
5,  281.-2,  285,  315,  327,  346. 

Murabo,  4  ;  Emin  and,  25. 

^lusical  instruments  of  the  Lur  tribe, 
39 ;  of  Makraka  natives,  106. 

Mustapha  Effendi,  69,  183,  234,  254, 
270,  278,  362-3. 

Mustapha  el  Adjeini,  letter  from, 
343-7. 

Mwanga,  King  of  Uganda,  and  our 
letters,  27. 

Xampigtja,  Chief,  11,  194 ;  people, 
431-2,  4.54. 

Xatural  History,  see  Botani/,  Ento- 
mology. Ornithology,  Zoology,  etc. 

iSTava  River,  372. 

Necklaces,  crocodile  teeth,  73,  78 ; 
dogs'  teeth,  127. 

Negroes,  chivalry  in,  180 ;  supersti- 
tions of,  268  ;  and  Germany,  299- 
302. 

Nelson,  Captain,  18,  33,  67,  239,  389, 

391,  442,  458-9. 
Nepoko  Eiver,  Emin  and,  24-5. 
N'guaba,  Katonza's  brother,  433-9. 
Niam-Niam  tribe,  52,  98,  284,  304, 

317,  361. 

Nile,  Eiver,  flowing  from  Lake 
Albert,  55  ;  a  low,  57-8 ;  from 
"VVadelai  to  Du61e,  77,  191—2  ;  rise 
and  colour  of,  77  ;  at  Dufile,  83-4 ; 
boat-building  on,  84 ;  and  Ayu 
River,  90  ;  scenery  on  the  bauks'of, 
92-3,  95-6  ;  at  Muggi,  97  ;  in  1879, 
117;  near  Dufile,  157-9;  upsetting 
of  canoe  in,  278-9;  near  Wadelai, 
.  385. 

N'juju  (canoe  man).  416,  422. 

N'sabe  Camp,  30,  32-4,  67-8,  87-8, 

95,  411,  431,  450. 
Nubar  Pasha's  letter,  31,  47-8,  51  ; 

Stanley  Hud,  48-50  ;  Emin  and,  53, 

302-3,  471 ;  rebel  council  and,  177- 

8,  214,  220-1. 
Nyadue   (or  the  Morning  Star),  see 

Lady  Baker. 
Nyamsassie  Island,  5,  11,  29,  889-90, 

395,  431,  433,  441,  446. 
Xyanza,  S.S.,29, 36, 192, 208, 277,  328, 

395. 

Obongo,  see  Dwarfs, 


488 


Index. 


Okello,  Chief,  57-8 ;  village  of,  336- 
7,  364. 

Omar  Saleh's  letter,  245-55 ;  answered, 
256,  305,  327. 

Ornaments,  etc. :  iron  and  brass 
necklets  and  bracelets,  37,  100;  lip, 
58;  of  Bari  women,  etc.,  99-101, 
126-7  ;  of  dwarfs,  373. 

Ornithology,  Emin  and,  92,  101,  112, 
462;  Jeph.son  and,  96,  365-5; 
swallows,  101;  bustards,  119; 
weaver  birds,  etc.,  96.  13o ;  fisn 
eagle,  8-9 ;  tame  eagle,  62  ;  ham- 
merhead, or  ovenbird,  365 ;  king- 
fishers, 9 ;  herons  and  water  fowl, 
77,  79,  80,  354,  366;  guinea  fowl, 
54,  62,  96,  119,  440 ;  ducks,  geese, 
cranes,  &c.,  79 ;  fowls  of  Bari  tribe, 
135:  teal  and  duck,  298;  goat 
suckers,  or  nightjars,  365-6;  plovers, 
geese,  &c.,  266,  354, 433  ;  Nile  goose, 
355. 

Osman  Adam,  250,  305. 

Osman    Digna  and  the  Khedive's 

letter,  153,  250. 
Osman  Erbab,  244-5, 253,  255,  273. 
Osman  Latif  Ett'endi,  220,  223,  228-9 ; 

letter  to  Emin,  233-4,  254,  256; 

son  of,  255 ;  letters  from,  259-61, 

264-5,  278,  314,  338. 
Ostrich  eggs  in  Dufile  mosque,  84. 
Oum;.,   a   Lur  chief,  37-40,  407-8, 

421-2. 

Fall  Mall  Gazette,  extract  from,  ro 

Emin  Paslia,  469-472. 
Papyrus  swamps,  78. 
Parke,  Surgeon,  and  the  steel  boat, 

3-4,  18;  meeting  with  Emin,  29; 

departure  of,  33 ;  391,  442,  458-9, 

462,  and  Emin,  -J75,  477. 
Pisgah,  Mount,  389. 
Polygamy,  Bari  tribe  and,  132. 
Pombe,  or  native  beer,  8, 11.  15. 
Prout,  and  D utile  Station,  81-3. 

Eain-maker,  office  of,  to  Bari  tribe, 
142-4. 

Rajab  Effendi,  Emin's  secretary,  149, 

159,  274,  343,  446-7. 
Raschid  Imann  anJ  JIahdi,  249. 
Rehan  Aga  (Major),  329. 
Rejaf  Station,  First    Battalion  a., 

43-5,  66-8,  88-9, 165, 168, 170-1 ;  de- 


putation from,  74r-6,  100-2,  105-9 ; 
rebels  and  Bachit  Aga,  110-11 ; 
and  Ismail  Aga,  113;  and  Lahore 
soldiers,  150-1 ;  Ali  Aga,  Djabor 
and,  235-6;  start  for,  255-6,  259; 
fall  of,  260-1,  265-7,  274,  282, 
28.3-7,  293  ;  Dunagla  at,  450. 
Religious  belief  among  the  Baris, 
14U-1. 

Rickleman,  Captain,  477. 
Rimo,  battle  ot,  334. 
Royle's  book  on  Egypt,  222,  421 ;  and 
Khartoum  steamers,  257-8. 

Sajia,  steamer,  256-8. 
Saleli  Aga,  196,  358,  379-82,  404-6, 
410. 

Salim  Effendi,  327. 

Salt,  manufacture  of,  at  Kibero,  36- 
7  ;  and  Nampigua's  people,  431. 

Schwe'nfurth,  and  ovenbird,  365; 
and  Monbuttu  dwarfs,  368,  372-3. 

Sebehr,  Gessi  Pasha  and,  117. 

Selim  Aga,  94-5,  118,  145,  147,  149- 
52,  156,  16:3-6,  169-70,  175,  219- 
220,  225,  235,  254,  266,  268,  273, 
285-8,  304,  333,  338,  341;  lette. 
from,  327-30;  letter  to,  343-7; 
348-9,  352.  364,  384-5,  4U8-9,  446, 
45U-2,  454-6. 

Shefalu  tribe,  52. 

Sherbet,  made  from  palms,  78. 

Shukri  Aga,  Chief  or  M'swa  Station, 
14,  17,  21,  167;  and  Kaba-regga, 
18  ;  letter  trom,  16i^-71,  l!^4  ;  mes- 
sage from,  201-2  ;  259,  276-7,  339  ; 
letter  from  377;  3^3,  38«.  411-13, 
416-19,  422,  430,  440,  452 ;  Emin 
and,  463-4. 

Shnli  tribe,  country  of  the,  63,  116, 
158;  natives,  78,  275.  284,  295; 
sorcerer,  281-2.  316,  335,  363-4. 

Snyntz,  Pere,  466. 

telatin  Bey's  note  to  Lupton  Bey, 
360. 

Smell  of  different  tribes,  Emin  and 
the,  40;  and  Baris,  128;  of  Dwarfs, 
373. 

Soudanese,  Emin's,  50-3,  wedding 
custom  of,  74 ;  address  to,  75-6 ; 
oflBcers,  97 ;  Binza's  opinion  of, 
152;  175,  199-200,  210,  215,218; 
and  dervishes,  263-4  ;  350-1,  377, 
418.  441, 449,  456-7,  465. 


Index. 


4«9 


Speke,  Captain,  and  the  Wahuma 
tribe,  63. 

Sperber,  German  man-of-war,  474^. 

Springs,  hot  sulphur,  411. 

Stairs,  Lieut..  2,  356,  389,  391,  440. 
442, 444,  457-9,  463,  476. 

Stanley,  H.  M.,  or  "  Bula  Matari," 
Prefatory  Letter  by,  v.  to  x. ;  2,  6  ; 
Chief  Vaju  and,  7  ;  letter  to,  20 ; 
Mr.  Holmwood,  Emin,  and,  27 ; 
meeting  with  Emia,  29-30;  ar- 
rangements to  leave  Jephson  with 
Emin,  30-33  ;  and  Egyptian  clerks 
from  Tunguru,  40-1 ;  address  tu 
Emin's  soldiers,  48-51  ;  proposi- 
tions to  Emin,  53  ;  advice  required, 
88  ;  and  Linant  Bey,  93  ;  and  Selim 
Aga,  95 ;  proclamation  at  Kirn, 
103-5  ;  and  giving  out  orders,  108  ; 
letter,  110,  168-170;  Hawashi  Et- 
fendi  and,  116;  plot  against,  167. 
170-1 ;  false  report  of  arrival,  169  ; 
rebel  officers  and,  174, 176  ;  rumour- 
of,  178-9,  189,  194,  198,  202,  274, 
276 ;  Fadl  el  Mulla  and,  211 ;  Jepb- 
son's  letters  to,  277-8 ;  letters  to. 
354r-5  ;  plot  against,  383-4 ;  letter?- 
to  Jephson  and  Emin,  388-452; 
Jephson  and,  443-6 ;  letters  fi'om 
Emin,  446.  447,  451  ;  meeting  with 
Emin,  457  ;  at  Mazamhoni's,  463. 

Stewart,  General,  and  Mahdi's  forces, 
250. 

Sudi,  4. 

Suliman  Aga  or  Effendi  (Egyptian 
officer),  20-1  ;  41-2  ;  and  leaving 
the  Province,  45,  51-3;  letter  from, 
168-170,  181,  192  ;  and  Casati, 
194  ;  196,  198-9.  202,  280-1,  288-9, 
298,  304,  305,  328, 341,  343,  345,  349, 
351-3  ;  death  of,  357-8. 

Superstitions  :  of  the  Bari  tribe,  141 ; 
of  negroes,  268 ;  about  Donagla 
bullets,  267  ;  in  Scotland,  267-8 ; 
280. 

Surore  Aga  (Chief  Lahore  Station), 
94r-o,  150,  165,  172,  175,  343-7,  446. 
450-1. 

Taha  Mahomet,  116-8. 

"  Talahwin,'  steamer,  256-8. 

Tewfik's  letter,  31,  45-7,  51 ;  Stanley 
and,  48-50 ;  and  Emin's  soldiers, 
52;  read  at  Kirri  Station,  103-5; 


read  at  Muggi  Station,  110  ;  read  to 
Rejaf  soldiers,  114-5 ;  copy  sent  to, 
153 ;  read  at  Lahore,  145-6 ;  and 
Mahdi,  247. 

Times,  extract  from,  472. 

Tobacco  of  Bari  tribe,  136. 

Torture  of  the  Peacock  Dervishes, 
262-4,  269-271. 

Trade  in  Africa,  301. 

Trees,  scarcity  of,  385. 

Troup,  Mr.  J.  R.,  390. 

Tunguru,  2,  5 ;  Emin  at,  14 ;  arrival 
at,  40,  75  ;  description  of,  40-1 ;  in- 
tiiguers  at,  41-3 ;  road,  54 ;  Jephson 
at.  192-7,  202 ;  Emin  and,  254  ;  276 
-8  ;  cattle  of,  280 ;  304, 316, 331, 337, 
340,  346;  Jephson  at,  353-5,  386, 
451. 

Turquoise,  H.M.S.,  474. 

Tybe  Effendi  (clerk),  262,  304-5. 


Uganda,  stoppage  of  letters  in,  27 ; 
and  Kibero  salt,  36;  people  and 
dwellings  in,  301-2 ;  mode  of  de- 
claring war,  380-1. 

Ugogo,  467. 

Uledi,  3-4 ;  at  Kanama  village,  6-7  ; 
at  M'swa  Station,  20 ;  Emin  and, 
25  ;  and  Jephson,  440,  448,  458. 

Unyamwezi,  386. 

Unyoro,  Mountains  of,  5,  55 ;  and 
Kibero  salt,  36. 

Unyoro,  King  of,  see  Kaha-regga. 

 Casati  in,  196,  201 ;  people 

and  dwellings  in,  301-2;  mode  of 
declaring  war,  380-1 ;  grass  fires 
on  mountain  s  of,  385-6. 

Usongo,  negro  in,  300 ;  rock  near, 
386. 

Usongora,  464. 

Vaju,  Chief,  6-8  ;  son,  430. 

Vakeel,  Casati's  boy,  195. 

Vita,  Hassan,  apothecary,  25  ;  mule, 
53 ;  and  dinner  by  Hawashi  Effendi, 
86  ;  at  Lahore.  149  ;  at  Dufile,  159, 
164,  194,  197,  207-8,  212,  222,  235- 
7 ;  240,  276,  336-8,  343,  345,  347, 
387,  446,  451,  453;  Emin  and,  463. 

Vorchow,  see  Dwarfs. 

Vunja,  Chief,  423-4,  426. 

Wadelai  Station,  41.  43  ;  journey  to, 
53-9 ;  arrival  at,  60 ;  description  of, 
63-5 ;  curious  wedding  custom  at, 
K  k 


490 


hidex. 


74 ;  address  to  men  of,  75-6  ;  Jephson 
at,  186-191,  202;  fire  at  203;  204- 
5  ;  277-8 ;  cattle  at,  280 ;  theft  in, 
281-2  ;  290,  304,  306, 308,  816  ;  Bight 
from,  322-6  ;  343,  347-8,  353,  364, 
376,  383-4,  417,  419. 

Wadelai,  Chief-,  59,  295. 

Wadi  Mabruki,  458. 

Waganda  and  Unyoro,  434. 

Wahuma  tribe  or  shepherd  kings,  63- 
4,  431-3. 

Wambutti,  see  Dwarfs. 

Ward,  Mr.,  390,  398. 

Waregga  tribe,  7  ;  Stanley  and,  430. 

War,  mode  of  declaring,  380-1 ;  Bari 
tribe,  129-30. 

Warrasura,  434. 

Watusi  or  Wahuma  tribe,  63-4,  431- 
3. 

Wedding  custom  at  Wadelai,  74. 
Were,  446,  452. 

Wilson,  Sir  E.,  and  Khartoum,  258. 
Wingate,  Major,  242. 
Wissmann,  Major,  and  Emin,467, 470- 
3. 

Woman's  gratitude,  a,  413-5. 
Woods,  etc.,  forests  of  Ambatch,  79. 
Wortley,  Lieut.  Stuart,  258. 


Yambuya,  390-1,  402. 
Yankumbu,  Chief  Vagu's  son,  6-7, 
430. 

Zanzibar,  Emin  at,  473-5. 

Zanzibaris :  crews,  4 ;  and  African 
dialects,  7-8 ;  at  Mogunga,  11-13, 
at  M'swa  Station,  15, 19-20 ;  clothes 
of,  15 ;  Emin  and,  25  ;  and  Emin's 
arrival,  29-30 ;  and  the  smell  of 
forest  cannibals,  40;  chivalry  in, 
180 ;  and  Advance  boat,  320-1 ; 
352;  and  dwarfs,  369,  403,  413, 
440-1,  443-9,  454^8,  465. 

Zebehr  el  Fahal,  250. 

Zoology  :  antelopes,  3,  119,  Barisand, 
130;  449,  454;  buffaloes,  3,  440, 
449,  4.54;  baboons,  chimpanzees, 
monkeys,  etc.,  8,  10,  11,  40;  Colo- 
bus  monkey,  387-8;  hippopotami, 
5,  77,  78,  432,  Bari  tribe  and,  130; 
springbok,  hartebeest,  kudu,  &c., 
54,  439-40,  454 ;  pigs  near  Muggi, 
119,  449  ;  donkeys,  26;  elephants, 
54,  herd  of,  90-2,  Baris  and,  130; 
giraffes,  192;  lions,  130,  142; 
leopards.  54,  58,  62,  130,  142; 
hysenas,  54,  58,  142. 


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MAP  OF  THE  F.QT  ATORIAL  PROVINCE. 


i-i;rlit,  ISOO,  by    Chai-l*^?*  Sc-i-ibnei-'s 


.(^^  '    .  .    •(!•  ".1.,  •       .n  I  <■.  '  '  ■       '        ■     •  ■  I' 


COPYt°hIMAHDIS  LETTER 

b  [min  Pasha  demandihg^his  surrender 
This  co|3y  was  made  secretly  at  iiiigjit: 

by  Abderrahim,  son  oPOsman  EFPendi 
Vakeel  or  second  in 
command  oP  the  Equatorial 
Proy'\u  ce.  


[FOR  TRANSLATION    See  paqCS    2t5-  253] 


i 


